Final Fantasy X3 A possible sequel for FFX, FFX2
by Renmiri
Summary: Believe it or not I found a story arch that will not contradict anything on the stories of the existing games FFX and it's sequel FFX2. And it even explains a lot of FFX and X2 oddities. Read it and see if you agree. UPDATED 1 18 06
1. Chapter 1 Spira's glorious past

FFX3.1

Note: This is a repost of my original story that got erased by mistake. If you reviewed it before, would you be so kind to post a review again ?

**Summary:**

5,000 years ago when Spira achieved space flight capabilities it got introduced to the Galaxy League. Spira starts trading with the Guado, Ronso and others. One thousand years later a galaxy wide war erupts. .Top secret research starts on uses for Spira's pyreflies that that can win the war. All references to Spira and it's pyreflies are deleted from the Galaxy records and all non research traffic to the Spira system is closed. At the end of the war Spira's space station and all but one of it's space ships are destroyed in a battle. After 300 years without news from the League, Spira's council decides to hide the last functioning spaceship.

Spira's History: 5,000 through 1,000 BG BG Before Game FFX happens 

**5,000 years ago (5,000 BG)**

The people in Spira successfully launch a space rocket that reaches their moon and returns safely. The Ronso, the planet's closest neighbors in that space quadrant, had a scout ship in synchronous orbit with Spira's Sun since they had been guarding Spira from space poachers observe the flight and communicate Spira's milestone achievement to the Galaxy League. . After it's first documented space flight Spira is introduced to the Galaxy League. Spira starts exporting fruits and chocobos to the whole galaxy. Pretty soon Spira's pyreflies are the latest fad at the galaxy. Pyreflies are energy like entities produced by every living being in Spira when they die, the energy spheres love to float above water resembling fireflies flying over a lake.

**4,500 years ago (4,500 BG)**

After 500 years on the League, the people from Spira have their own hyperlight spaceship fleet, bought with profits from their exports. The 500 years of trading brings much prosperity to Spira and several large cities have appeared around the planet The Guado request permission to Spira and the League to set up a pyrefly processing center in Guadosalam to process the Thunder Lake pyreflies into small drinkable packets that restore a person's magic points. They call their concoction "Ether".

**4,400 years ago (4,400 BG)**

The Hypello request permission to join the Guado at Spira's surface, setting up a pyrefly mining post near Moonflow city. They breed gentech versions of their beasts of burden adapted to the local Thunder Lake waters. The gentech beasts - shoopufs - start roaming across Spira. Guadosalam grows to be the main pyrefly processing center in Spira and exports Ether to the Galaxy.

**4,300 years ago ( 4,300 BG)**

With the increased commerce brought by the Guado and Hypello posts Spira starts to receive a steady stream of space visitors, and with it, troublemakers. The Ronso and Spira's Council decide to set up a Ronso post in the Gagazet Mountains, near Spira's capital - Zanarkand - to better defend the planet from poachers who come from all over the galaxy to hunt chocobos and cactuars and to collect pyreflies floating around Spira's lakes to grace the Galaxy's fancy water fountains with their beauty

**4,200 years ago ( 4,200 BG)**

Curiously enough, the Guado, Ronso and Hypello that have been living in Spira for the past 300 years have all started shedding pyreflies when they die. Even the shoopuf beasts release pyreflies! The Guado theorize that by drinking Spira's water and eating Spira's food for so many years even the non local species get saturated with pyreflies and start releasing them when they die.

**4,100 years ago ( 4,100 BG)**

After 400 years of eating and drinking local fare the 3rd generation Guado, Ronso and Hypello who have been living in Spira's alien posts start being born with a built in natural cache of magic points. They now have the power to cast magic spells without having to drink Ether first. Again, the culprit must be their bodies saturation with Spira's pyreflies. The new development worries the Ronso, sworn protectors of Spira against greedy poachers and troublemakers: This news will raise a lot of interest in the Galaxy. Being able to breed mages at will, starting from any species - even races as non-magical as the Hypello or the Ronso - can be a very profitable business, if the process can be sped up and one is ruthless enough. They beg the Galaxy Council to keep the news confidential.

**4,000 years ago ( 4,000 BG)**

Galaxy wars with the evil Angra Mainyu start. Being very removed from the galaxy center, the wars don't affect Spira much except from a downturn on the steady stream of space visitors Spira has been getting. Spira's pyrefly experts in Bikanel and Bevelle start working with the Guado to develop weapons using the strongest kind of pyrefly: the ones left behind by humans, Ronso, Guado and Hypello when they die. They call them humanoid pyreflies or "h-pyrefly" for short

**3,900 years ago ( 3,900 BG)**

The Guado and the people at Bikanel discover a design that may allow them to use humanoid pyreflies as a fearsome weapon that could end the 100 year war. The Guado, Ronso, Hypello, Spirans make a pact with the Galaxy League Council: They will shut down all trading and work exclusively on the weapon. All h-pyreflies will be harvested to the Guado storage center in Guadosalam and then it's energy harnessed at Bevelle's processing center. Bikanel and Bevelle will work on the weapon's development and testing

**3,850 years ago ( 3,850 BG)**

The war goes badly for the League. A decision is made by the War Council: Spira's location and it's h-pyreflies will be stricken from Galaxy records and all Spira's spaceports shut down, to protect the League's last hope: The h-pyrefly weapons being developed by Spirans in Bevelle and Bikanel. A large continent of Ronso, Guado and Hypello arrives at Spira to speed up their developing. Those are the last spaceships allowed in Spira's spaceport before the shutdown.

**3,800 years ago ( 3,800 BG)**

A large enemy battleship manages to follow the Galaxy League envoy all the way to Spira. Spirans, Ronso, Guado and Hypello do a last desperate effort to protect the secret: they blow up Spira's jump gate and space station, to cut all access to Spira, to avoid having the Angra Mainyu fleet following their battleship. All space station residents are transferred to Spira's larger industrial city: Bikanel City. War rages through Spira's skies.

Luckily and unbeknown to Spirans, the enemy ship is damaged: all it's hyperlight functions are down - so it was not able to jump back to warn it's fleet, nor it was able to send it's location to Headquarters.

The enemy ship attempts to drain Thunder Lake to collect all pyreflies from Spira. Obviously their spies have not uncovered the whole secret: only humanoid pyreflies can be used as weapons. Their plan fails halfway and all they manage to do is to move the waters to nearby Moonflow City which is utterly destroyed and now stands at the bottom of a large lake. Thunder Lake is now a large plain field where nothing will grow, thanks to the enemy's blasting. The fierce storms that gave the lake it's name now rage nonstop, bathing the plains with non stop thunder. Several cities and all Spira's spaceports are destroyed during the battle to destroy the enemy ship.

Finally, at their last stand in Bikanel Island, the Spirans and their allies manage to defeat the enemy ship, but not before it deploys a small landing shuttle. Thankfully the cactuar in Bikanel desert manage damage the enemy shuttle. The last Angra Mainyu shuttle is unable to leave the planet and the cactuars proceed to seal it under the desert sands. The Angra Mainyu shuttle is kept buried in the desert for the next 3,900 years…

After the last Angra Mainyu shuttle is buried under the desert sands Spira is in a sorry state of affairs. Many died, not a city was left standing, the space station and it's jump gate are gone, all but one of the remaining spaceships are damaged beyond repair and the Spirans and their allies have lost all hyperlight functions. No message from Spira will reach the Galaxy for the next 4,000 years.

**3,500 years ago ( 3,500 BG)**

Despite all efforts to rebuild, the last remains of Spira's glorious space age are crumbling. There are no repair parts. There are no energy cellpacks. No one from the Galaxy League or from the Angra Mainyu fleet has ever contacted Spira and Spira has no way to initiate contact. The last remaining spaceship is too damaged and it will only be able to fly all the way over to the next trading post. But that is not 100 certain. They may die trying. Also, Spirans have no way to know what happened to the Angra Mainyu war in the last 300 years. They may make the risky voyage in vain and perhaps even manage to guide more enemy ships to Spira.

At the Zanarkand Council the Spirans and their allies conclude that the Galaxy League was successful in it's attempt to remove Spira references from all charts and maps. And that the few who knew about Spira's secret weapon and it's location are gone. The Zanarkand Council decides to bury the last remaining ship under the ice waiting for a time when they are needed once more at the Galaxy. For now all they can do is live their life in Spira, as well as they can manage.

The spacers living in Bikanel island start converting their space suits into deep sea diving suits, and start exploring Spira's oceans hoping to find some left over cellpacks, repair parts, a space ship… The spacers manage to repair two space shuttles for low orbit air travel. Alas, the cellpacks that the airships require are going to be depleted in just 100 years and Spira's sky won't see airships for the next 2,500 years.

**3,000 years ago through 1,000 years ago ( 1,000 BG date of Bevelle / Zanarkand Machina war)**

Spira's glorious space age has started to feel more like a legend than reality. The new generation Guado, Ronso and Hypello being born want to belong to the planet they live and reject the elders teachings of their traditions and their past in other planets. The Ronso gradually stop keeping a record of Spira's affairs, the Guado and Hypello cease to keep track of their galactic accounts. The spacers at Bikanel spread around Spira's oceans in boats moved by animal power: Chocobos. Without cellpacks and any fuel available they prefer the cleaner chocobo propelled engines to wood burning engines.

Gradually all memory of Spira's ancient history fades away, even for the non-native alien species. The Ronso, Guado and Hypello and the spacers at Bikanel forget their glorious past and start believing they have always been in Spira..

**--- Footnote**

(1) The "Author's Notes chapter with details of how / why I chose this particular plot line – aliens in Spira - are now in my user forum to comply with the Fan Fiction Net rules. The short version of "why aliens" is that it allowed me to write a sequel that included new places to go. Read my notes and see if you agree that I managed to make it fit well with the both FFX and FFX2 story lines!


	2. Chapter 2 The Machina War & Sin

FFX3.2

**Summary**: 

Records about Spira and it's magic pyreflies are discovered by a treasure hunter 3,000 years after the Galaxy League crumbled. The treasure hunter partners with an alien race of methane breathers to exploit Spira's magic pyreflies. Bevelle and Zanarkand are offered the job of "farm hand" by the aliens. Zanarkand refuses and is destroyed in the Zanarkand / Bevelle war. Sin appears. Tidus Zanarkand is created. Lady Yunalesca pierces the armor Sin but fails to kill Yu Yevon, who will rebuild Sin in 10 years. Spira's Spiral of death begins. Bevelle creates the Yevon church

**--- 1,010 years ago – Spira's location gets revealed again**

Digging through long lost Galaxy League ruins Tar-Sec discovers Spira's h-pyrefly records. Astonished he reads about a planet where it's people release small spheres of pure magic energy when they die, energy that can be harnessed and used to create powerful magic weapons or to concoct powerful magic potions. Unconvinced that such a thing would exist and remain hidden for 3,000 years he almost throws the records away but he stumbles on a locked box. When he opens it several tiny spheres of light float away leaving a strange gun and a vial of amber fluid on the bottom of the box.

He picks up the gun curiously and tests it. "Holy Shit! This thing looks like a supernova on a bullet!" he screams surprised at the large energy ball the gun produced. "Does this means this planet is for real ? This will be worth tons of gil!" he thinks amazed. He gathers all the records, the gun and the vial of liquid and reloads the gun. Aiming at the place the records were found he shoots another "supernova" bullet and obliterates all remaining clues to his treasure.

Six months later Tar-Sec is sitting on a large battle cruiser's bridge, being fussed on by two gorgeous females.

- "Where to ?" asks the ship's captain

- "I will enter the coordinates myself, if you don't mind" says Tar-Sec. This is his my discovery, I get to do the important decisions" he says smugly

After a week of hyper-jumps and refueling stops Tar-Sec's spaceship arrives at the outskirts of Spira's solar system. It was the first time in 3,000 years that any spaceship had crossed that remote region of space. It looked like it too, with no defense shields, no space stations to dock their ship to and no hyperlight transmissions in the vicinity…

The ship entered in a large orbit around Spira, while Tar-Sec and his team discussed their approach at the ship's briefing room. Despite the ship's captains wishes they couldn't just kill all in Spira.

- "The records are quite clear: only Spira's humanoid species can create the pyreflies we need. If we kill all now there will be no more pyreflies after the ones we harvest today" said the ship's science officer

- "He is right Galkat. You have to control yourself here. Kill them today and you will have no money left eventually. Is that what you want ? Is that what your emperor will want in 5 years ?" said Tar-Sec to the bloodthirsty captain

- "No, we want a steady supply of Spira pyreflies. But who is going to harvest them ? Do you want to live in this hell hole ? Our species can not" answered the ship's captain

- "Hell no! We need to find some local who is willing to work for us. Someone who can tend the pyrefly producing beings" said Tar-Sec

- "Well, the only intelligent species there are the humanoid themselves. Would a humanoid agree to betray his fellow humanoids ?" asks the ship's science officer. He was fascinated! He had heard humanoid ethics were quite different than his species "Survival of the fittest" ethics. Tar-Sec's ethics didn't seem much different from his own. . He wondered how different the humanoids really were.

- "Oh, we can find a way to persuade them" said the captain smiling cruelly

- "Precisely! I will tell the strongest clans we will kill them if they don't agree to supply us with their weakest and I'm sure we will get a great ally down there" said Tar-Sec smiling

Tar Sec asked the ship's transport officer to beam him close to a large city by the shore, on the largest continent. In there Tar-Sec found out that the people of Spira spoke an old form of Galaxy Standard. Tar-Sec quickly found out from the trusting people in the city that Spira's strongest clans were the mages of Zanarkand - who apparently could do some impressive feats for someone so backwards - and the technologically inclined people from Bevelle. He contacted the rulers of both clans and demanded that they supply him with pyrefly rich water.

Bevelle's rulers accepted the role Tar-Sec forced on them. The main council in Zanarkand refused. "I'll get them next time" thought Tar-Sec eager to get back to the luxury that waited him at his return. The methane breathers had managed to duplicate the supernova guns, but they could not duplicate the magic fluid that made it work. No one could. It was priceless. And he had a ship's hull full to the brim with it. That was going to be some commission credit sheet he would get from the methane breathers. And the best part was that they needed Tar -Sec for any other shipment. They could not breathe the air in Spira. The methane breathers could not even approach the planet past it's gravitational line, something on the planet irradiated a pulse field that made the methane breathers deadly ill. Perfect for his plans!

**--- 1,000 ago - The never ending exploitation of Spira starts**

Unfortunately the aliens and Tar-Sec eventually ran out of money, the fortune made with the cargo spent in lavish luxury for all involved, so ten years later he was back with a larger ship, demanding a much larger load of pyrefly loaded water from the Bevelle Maester.

- "But, but we can't ! We have nowhere to take it from! There haven't been enough natural deaths in Spira on the last 10 years to produce that much h-fluid!" said the Bevelle Maester distressed

- "Who said you have to wait for natural deaths ? Just kill all in one or two cities and you have enough. Why didn't you start by killing those bastards at Zanarkand ? The ones who refused to deal with us last time " said a ruthless Tar-Sec, by now too used to his money and power to even think twice about killing thousands of intelligent beings

- "But, but.. Sir! We couldn't possibly…" said the Maester

- "You want me to do the killing for you ? My ship will start it's killing in Bevelle if I have to do it. " said Tar-Sec coldly

- "No Sir, that won't be necessary. Give me some time and I will deliver the h-fluid to you as requested." said the Maester

- "Make sure you destroy those disrespectful Zanarkand Mages and their prideful city and you can have an year said Tar-Sec icily and beamed out of Bevelle's tower

Seeing no choice but to yield or fight Tar-Sec, a fight he was unwilling to risk, the Maester commissioned his techs to build the deadlier weapons they could muster and declared war against Zanarkand. Cowardly attacked without warning Zanarkand went to war against Bevelle. The war was the worst Spira had seen as Bevelle was clearly aiming to inflict the most casualties it could and had no concern for their own troops survival either.

That war was extremely bloody because the Bevelle Maester knew his soldiers had to kill people to get the cursed pyreflies for Tar-Sec so he had issued a standing order: "Take no Prisoners. Kill them all". The 3 council members had to weave many, many lies to justify that absurd order, but they got the murderous force they wanted. Wounded Zanarkand soldiers were killed on the spot by crazed Bevelle fighters, blind with bloodlust, completely oblivious for their own personal safety and killing all that stood in their way, bewitched into berserk fighters by their own mages.

The people from Zanarkand battled with all their might to stop that cruel war. Zanarkand sent emissaries non-stop to beg the Bevelle's Maester and it's command people to stop attacking and join them against their real enemy. But the Bevelle Maester and his 2 praetors had secluded themselves in Bevelle's Via Infinito underground bunker, protected by 100 floors of fearsome monsters. The cruel war was simply unstoppable without them.

**---- Dreaming of Zanarkand**

Zanarkand was losing the war. It was just a matter of time until the city was destroyed and all their citizens chased and murdered by the insane Bevelle hordes. That was when Yu Yevon, Zanarkand's Master Summoner had an idea to preserve his city and his people: To use them as fayth to summon a new Zanarkand, using an impenetrable shield to protect him - the city's summoner - from harm. He proposed it to the council of summoners and mages who ruled Zanarkand.

- "How many fayth would you need ?" asked Lady Rahla to Yu Yevon

- "All if possible. This city is doomed. Bevelle troops are under orders to take no prisoners. Why die at the hands of Bevelle's giant machina if you can become a fayth that aids us in protecting our way of life and our city ?" said Yu Yevon excited at his own brilliant plan

- "But how would we preserve our way of life and our city if all our people turn into fayth ?" asked Lord O'akka

- "I will use all the fayth to summon a city. Our City. The city of our dreams and hopes, untouched by war or enemies. It would be Zanarkand as much as this city is now, with people living their lives and going about their business, but a city indestructible and peerless, apart from the greed and violence from our world" said Yu Yevon passionately

- "I want to see this city. I want to live in this dream of peace and harmony instead of spending the rest of my short life running away from Bevelle's troops. Yevon you have done it! I myself volunteer to be a fayth in your summoning" said Lady Rahla captivated by the idea

- "I think we can all agree Yu Yevon's plan is the most hopeful and bright we can have on such short time. Bevelle's attack is imminent, we have nary a moment to loose. I propose we put it for a vote" said Lord Yokum

- "Councilman if I may propose something slightly different ? Instead of a council vote why not make it a citizen vote? Let each citizen from Zanarkand volunteer to be part in this dream." said Lady Rahla

- "How about it fellows ?" said Lord Yokum and got answered by a chorus of "Aye' and "Long Live Zanarkand"

Like Lady Rahla most in Zanarkand were enthusiastic volunteers to be fayth, as soon as the Council gathered them all in the Zanarkand Dome and presented the situation. Pretty much all of the surviving people from Zanarkand decided to turn themselves into fayth, for a final, gigantic Summoning. Their Aeon would be an image of all that Zanarkand was in the past and what it could have been without Bevelle's war. The few reluctant ones were quickly convinced when they heard Bevelle's war horns sounding at the distance. Bevelle's troops had arrived at the foot of Mt. Gagazet and were being held by the brave Ronso but that would not last for long. In the end only Lord Kyouyu and the Zanarkand warrior mages who were struggling to contain the Bevelle troops did not join Yu Yevon. Most Zanarkand citizens agreed to be part of the massive fayth stone to be built at the spring in Zanarkand side of Mt. Gagazet's base.

Yu Yevon's only small regret was that his own daughter, Lady Yunalesca and her husband Lord Zaeon were not there to witness his magical prowess nor to join the massive fayth stone, as they had been aiding High Summoner Lenne at the front. No matter, he would be able to enjoy their company later and tell them all about it, as soon as he managed to complete the Summoning, Yu Yevon thought confidently…

**---- He called it Sin**

The people of Zanarkand started singing a hymn that described their defiance of Bevelle. Their Summoners would keep on dreaming in spite of Bevelle's attempts to destroy the city. The Zanarkand citizens kept on singing the hymn while Yu Yevon set up to work: He started by crafting the fayth stone, using the Mt. Gagazet spring waters to coalesce a giant gel like column with the pyreflies and souls of the volunteers from Zanarkand.

After his preparations large drops of sweat rolled from Yu Yevon's brow, but he was not done so he took a MegaElixir and toiled on. Now Yu Yevon had to weave an impenetrable shield and armor with millions of pyreflies. He knew just where to find those millions of pyreflies: In Bevelle's subterranean water channels, by now saturated with the energy of the war dead. Yu Yevon never wondered about the wisdom of using pyreflies from unsent war victims. He never considered how angry and lustful for revenge those distressed souls would be

Instead, Yu Yevon congratulated himself again for having thought of that spell and that large cache of pyreflies. In his view, that incantation by the ancient Black Mage Sin was the perfect starting point for his armor spell. He decided to call his armor "Sin", in honor of the mage, and proceeded his weaving. The strain of controlling that much magical power was almost unbearable but Yu Yevon held on… He was almost done… Now! he thought and his magic trap activated, making him summon the Dream Zanarkand city as expected.

1**--- 1,000 years ago - A Dream or a Nightmare ?**

But at this precise moment Yu Yevon lost all ability to think coherently…The Summoning and the armor powers combined overwhelmed his brain, his magical energy and even his body. He stood motionless in front of the massive pillar with the faith, congealed in place like he had been turned into stone himself. Yet Yu Yevon was still alive, but barely. All that remained from him now was the link between his congealed physical body and his soul... As long as he had this anchor to bind him to Spira Yu Yevon would summon Dream Zanarkand and cast Sin for the next 1,000 years, stopping only to gather more pyreflies when his Sin Armor was pierced.

As soon as Yu Yevon lost conscience his impenetrable armor turned around and started pelting Zanarkand with deadly magic blasts, turning the city into rubble in a matter of minutes. Yu Yevon remained locked in his magic trap, summoning and rebuilding Sin, completely blind to the enormous harm his magic had caused and utterly incapable of controlling the monster he had created.

**--- Yunalesca meets Sin for the first time**

Lady Yunalesca and her husband Lord Zaeon were one of the few from Zanarkand who did not join the massive fayth stone, as they had been aiding High Summoner Lenne at the front. After Zanarkand's blockade in the great plains fell and their fortifications in Remien City got raided by Bevelle troops, the couple made it's way to Zanarkand as fast as they could, to help defend their beloved city.

Lady Yunalesca and Lord Zaeon had to climb the snowy trails, as the Ronso had deactivated all magic transport gates to the mountain summit as part of their vigorous protection of Zanarkand's last line of defense. When they approach Gagazet's summit they hear Zanarkand's hymn of defiance being sung by the city's citizens at Mt Gagazet's base. They had made their way back to Zanarkand, battling Mt. Gagazet's monsters as fast as they could but they were not fast enough to meet Yunalesca's father before his accident.

Upon arriving at the mountain summit Yunalesca and Zaeon see an appalling scene take place right in front of their eyes: A monstrous being, colossal in size and shaped like a sphere of pure sea water starts taking shape and proceeds to vaporize their beloved city with unbelievably powerful flare blasts right after it finishes forming. The sphere then floats up the mountain killing everything in it's path. Now that the thing is coming closer Yunalesca and Zaeon can see something huge and dark moving inside it. They also see several monstrous fiends, never before seen in Spira jump from the floating spherical being. A desperate Yunalesca battles her way against those unknown fiends down the mountain, eager to see what has happened to her father and her friends. Her husband Zaeon follows her closely.

**--- The Eternal Dream Of The Fayth**

Yunalesca finds a giant column of water congealed into a fayth stone, all her friends embedded inside of it. Her father stands right in front of it unharmed but he seems unconscious. He is cold to the touch and in spite of his wide open eyes he is barely breathing.

- Father, what is going on ? Who did this to our people ? asked Yunalesca in panic

- What happened here my love ? Can you mind-talk to your father ?" asks Zaeon stunned at the sight of his beloved adopted city utterly destroyed and all his friends congealed inside of a fayth stone.

- "My father is in no condition to tell me anything. His mind seems very far away" answered Yunalesca a bit dazed with worry

- "Well, can you at least contact one of those people in this huge frozen water column ?" asks Zaeon.

Zaeon's suggestion brings Yunalesca's thoughts back to Spira. She proceeded to contact the closest fayth.

- "What has happened here Lady Rahla ? Why are you guys all in a fayth stone ? Who did this to you ?" asks Yunalesca

- "Mmmph ? Who disturbs our dreaming ? Yunalesca ? Welcome child! Come see the glorious work of your father! Zanarkand will live forever thanks to him" says Rahla's fayth and proceeded to explain to Yunalesca how all of Zanarkand's surviving residents had opted to be turn into fayth instead of waiting for Bevelle's cruel troops to kill them.

- "Fayth ? But to what end ? What is being summoned ? What is this about Zanarkand living forever ?" asks a puzzled Yunalesca.- "Why, the summons of Zanarkand city! A city that is now eternally invulnerable and peaceful thanks to your father's brilliancy at the Summoner Arts. And our willingness to join his dreaming as fayth" answers Lord Yokum's modestly

- "A multiple fayth summoning ! Was father insane ? There is a reason it is forbidden: this summons will kill him and may kill all of us!" said Yunalesca aghast

- "Oh ye of little faith child! Your father thought of that already. He wove an invincible armor to protect him and the summoning from any harm. And he used Bevelle's stolen pyrefly energy to do it. Serves them right!" said Lord Oakka's fayth smugly

- "Where's Lord Kyouyu ? What did he have to say about all of this" asks Zaeon alarmed. Something just doesn't seem right in this grandiose plan, Zaeon thought to himself

- "He refused to join us. Said he feared Yu Yevon was being over confident and tempting fate. You know how he has always resisted your wife's and your father's ideas" " answers Lord Yokum

- "Come now children. Let us rest! Let us dream the glory of Zanarkand!" said Lady Rahla

- "I just want some time to see what has become of the war and the people in Spira" answered Yunalesca

- "Then by all means child, go see what pains await you in this cruel Spira we just left. We will be waiting here, dreaming our perfect dream." Said Lady Rahla impatiently and resumed her dreaming

**Yunalesca sees more Sin's carnage firsthand**

There wasn't anything that she and Zaeon could do for Zanarkand now, thought Yunalesca. She decided to go back to Remien to help healing the many wounded. She and Zaeon hurried through a fiend infested Mt. Gagazet, but at Remien City, there was no one left. Corpses were strewn everywhere, showing evidence of a very powerful killer on the loose. Bodies were torn in half, buildings were razed to the ground, and fiends sniffed around disappointed.

- "Judging by the number of fiends and their bad mood there was no one left alive after whatever monster who did this was done" said Zaeon to Yunalesca

- "It must have been that giant water sphere we saw while climbing up the mountain" said Yunalesca remembering the huge dark form moving inside it and the many new monsters that jumped out from it

- "Yes, what was that thing anyway ? " said Zaeon

- "Your father called it Sin. It is the invincible armor he was so proud of. I knew he wouldn't be able to control it Alas, the council's zeal to hold on to their memories of Zanarkand overrode their caution…" said Lord Kyouyu appearing behind them

- "Please tell us what happened" asked Yunalesca.

Yunalesca had butted heads many times with Lord Kyouyu, her old teacher but she knew that he wasn't a liar and had been a very skilled and knowledgeable Summoner. She also knew that somehow her father was involved in this mayhem. She couldn't deny it any longer Yunalesca had felt Yu Yevon's presence inside that sphere.. Lord Kyouyu proceeded to tell a stunned Zaeon and Yunalesca all that he had heard at the council meetings they missed. He also added his expert opinion on the spell cast and summons her father had tried.

- "I don't really know for sure because your stubborn father wouldn't tell me anything after I refused to help him. All I know is that he was using teachings from the Forbidden Tomes and from Dark Magician Sin's Black Magic book" said Lord Kyouyu

- "The Forbidden Teachings ? Was he insane ?" asked Zaeon aghast

- "You will have to be the judge of that… What is undeniable is that he is not insane now, nor anything else for that matter. He isn't even conscious, as you may have noticed Milady" said Lord Kyouyu looking at Yunalesca

- "Yes. I could not make contact with him or his conscious mind, not even while touching him. He remains a frozen shell, his body barely breathing amid the ruins of Zanarkand" said Yunalesca pained.

- "I tried to contact him from here too, to no avail. Did you not feel faint echoes from his mind coming from inside Sin's water sphere ?" asked Lord Kyouyu keenly

- "Yes, I did. That is why I couldn't deny the truth of your accusations. Besides, you never were a liar. I knew you wouldn't accuse my father of being responsible for that murderous beast if you didn't believe it" said Yunalesca conceding his point

- "I thank you for your trust Milady. You, your father and I had some disagreements in the past over the prudence of trying some advanced spells but I take no joy in being correct this time. This awful state your father has been trapped… I wouldn't wish on my deadliest enemy" said Lord Kyouyu gravely

- "Is there.. Is it possible to release my father from it ?" asked Yunalesca with infinite pain in her eyes

- "I don't really know for sure but I believe there is reason to be hopeful Milady." Said Lord Kyouyu

Yunalesca just wept softly, apparently oblivious to Lord Kyouyu's words or his hope that her father could be saved. A worried Zaeon started massaging his wife tense shoulders

- "Please explain.." said Zaeon

- "It seems Yu Yevon somehow mixed up a shield spell with an Aeon spell. That thing kills and moves like an Aeon but functions like an impenetrable shield to protect Yu Yevon while he Summons the Dream Zanarkand." the old teacher answered

- "Interesting, but how does that give you hope?" asked Zaeon, his wife still too disturbed to follow Lord Kyouyu's explanation

- "Well, at my Summoner's class, when an over confident apprentice gets overwhelmed by his Aeon all I have to do is defeat the Aeon in battle to release the hapless Summoner apprentice from his trance." said Lord Kyouyu

- "Sin is not an Aeon but the same principle may apply: Defeat it and you may restore Yu Yevon to his old boastful, arrogant self" said Lord Kyouyu trying to goad Yunalesca into reacting from her desolation

- "You are enjoying this, aren't you " she said angrily, finally showing some signs of the hot tempered Yunalesca Lord Kyouyu had known

- "Not at all Milady but it seemed an insult was a good way to get you back. I feared you would drown in your sorrow" said Lord Kyouyu softly

- "I thank you Lord Kyouyu. My wife was needing this injection of hope, even if delivered by a sharp poke on her pride. It seems you know her almost as well as I do." said Zaeon

- "Aye, and I have had many singed shield spells that prove it !" said Lord Kyouyu smiling

Both men started laughing softly, remembering the fierce Summoner's penchant for lobbing Flare spells at those who angered her. They kept on smiling at a furious Yunalesca, until she relented.

- "Oh all right.. But how are we going to win against that thing ? We can't just throw ourselves at the foot of the Sin Beast like a berserk fiend. We need a plan to defeat it. Any suggestions Lord Kyouyu ?" asked Yunalesca

- "You got me there Milady. The only thing I can think that has a remote chance of piercing that powerful armor is the Final Aeon, but you know as well as I do the implications of it. It could result on your own death, on your father's death or both your deaths. Your father spells were already virtually unbreakable, now augmented by millions of pyreflies… " said Lord Kyouyu sighing unhappily

- "Hmm.. I see. We need an alternate plan" said Yunalesca thoughtfully

- "What if we ask Bevelle to provide us with millions of pyreflies too ? Couldn't you weave a powerful armor to protect you from the final Aeon just like your father did ?" asked Zaeon

- "No Milady, I beg you! Please refrain from attempting to thread on the same dangerous paths that have enslaved your father in this trance! " cried Lord Kyouyu hastily

- "I'm sorry old friend, but I need to keep all my options open. It's not like I have many to choose from. said Yunalesca sadly.

After her refusal to listen to his misgivings Lord Kyouyu was left feeling sick, tired and old. He felt his heart heavy at seeing his old student lost in a trance, and another student of his, the fierce indomitable Yunalesca, first paralyzed with grief and now ready to face a fate worse than death. The fate that had fallen on her father, the best Summoner he had the honor to teach.

**--- The Aeon Yojimbo is born**

He did not want to see Spira die but he saw little he could do to stop it. He was old and feeble, incapable of helping Spirans battle the beast. But wait a minute… He could! There was still a way for him to use his immense knowledge of the Summoner Arts to help the people in Spira AND to be effective at doing so. The price for him to release all this power to others was indeed steep: Lord Kyouyu would have to give up his life, allowing himself to be turned into a fayth by another Master Summoner. But by doing that, by turning into a fayth, a fayth imbued with all the skills he possessed Lord Kyouyu could give a Summoner a very powerful Aeon, the strongest Aeon of all, short of the Final Aeon. Well perhaps not as strong as Remien Temple's Aeon, the 3 Magus Sisters but he did have his Zanmato spell which could kill anything in one hit, including someone mounted on a dragon or fire drake…

- "I understand Milady… If you would grant me a last favor ?" said Lord Kyouyu to Yunalesca after what seemed to her like a very long pause that left him looking a lot older

- "Yes Master, what is it ?" asked Yunalesca curious, calling him Master as she had done while being taught by him, to make him a bit less sad

- "I can not bear to see this violence ridden, war torn Spira any longer. I feel that my skills would better serve Spira being applied to fight the many monsters Sin brought upon us, if Spira survives this ordeal.." he started

- "Fight ?" said Yunalesca worried. Her old teacher was very skilled but he was definitely NOT in fighting shape

- "Yes fight. But not in this tired old body. I am requesting that you transform me and my faithful companion Daigoro into fayth for a summoning" Lord Kyouyu said

- "A fayth ? And a fayth using a fayth stone composed of more than one living being, one of the forbidden spells you ranted so much against ? You must be deadly serious then" said Yunalesca

- "Yes Milady, I am deadly serious" answered Lord Kyouyu

- "Very well then… Where is Daigoro ? I have not seen him yet." said Yunalesca and Lord Kyouyu left to get his dog, his best friend that had always stood by his side in all those years, even during his classes..

Yunalesca looked at her old teacher walking away and sighed heavily

- "Milady, please don't see this as a goodbye but as just a temporary farewell. Even if not alive, I will be here, at least in spirit, protecting our planet and its people for as long as there are Summoners in Spira." said Lord Kyouyu

- "You want your faith stone to be left in the middle of the ruins of Remien City ?" asked Yunalesca

- "No Milady, if you could… Would you please take my fayth stone the Baaj Temple ?

- "We will do so my old friend. Are you and Daigoro ready to be cast into eternity ?" asked Yunalesca, wanting this to be over quickly before she started crying again

- "Yes we are" he answered and saw a tear in her eyes

- "Milady, please don't abandon hope on my account ! I'm just a foolish scared old man. I am positive you can survive your attempts to free your father! And after you survive, you may yet summon me to be at your service. But I have to warn you that it will cost you. I am through working my spells for free!" said Lord Kyouyu smiling

- "Huh ?" said Yunalesca puzzled

- "Renting your services just like a common mercenary ?" asked Zaeon surprised

- "More like Yojimbo, the famous body guard! It is a little novelty I thought about: I will only serve Summoners who have a just cause, and I will make them pay a lot of gil for the privilege of having me at their services. This way I won't get the klutzy and befuddled first year apprentices that I had to endure for so long at my school" said Lord Kyouyu with a twinkle in his eye

- "I see my father's thirst for change and novelty has infected you too Master. Farewell, I will miss you dearly" said Yunalesca

- "Farewell Milady, Lord Zaeon. Take care of Spira, will you ?" said the old Summoner and waved at them

Zaeon and Yunalesca bid him goodbye and Yunalesca started encasing Lord Kyouyu and his beloved Chow Chow dog Daigoro in a fayth stone. Yunalesca and Zaeon trekked back to Zanarkand to deposit Lord Kyouyu fayth stone at the Baaj Temple, which was located in an island near Zanarkand. Lord Kyouyu fayth stone would be safe inside!

**--- Meeting the Bevelle Council**

After dropping Lord Kyouyu's and Yojimbo's fayth stone on a deep underground cave Yunalesca and Zaeon proceeded to Bevelle in a hurry. The city's walls were broken in several sections, Bevelle's high bridge had been separated from Bevelle's dome by a powerful blast from Sin which was gone for now but could be coming back for another attack at any minute, judging by the amount of monsters that littered the area, viciously attacking the hapless Bevelle citizens and troops. Where could the beast be ? Wherever it was it was surely creating havoc and killing more people they thought worriedly. They searched for a commanding officer or battle mage to talk to unsuccessfully. Bevelle was in complete disarray.

- "Where's your Maester" Zaeon asked the first uniformed guard he could get a hold of

- "Via Infinito, bottom floor, the coward " said the guard angrily as Zaeon released him to run to the aid of a mother and child besieged by a large Wraith fiend.

- "Let's go there Zaeon. We need to ask them for more pyreflies for me to cast the armor incantation" said Yunalesca worriedly

- "I'm not so sure about that one. Lord Kyouyu's uneasiness wasn't that far fetched.." sighed Zaeon

- "What other alternatives we have, though ?" said Yunalesca

- "Not one, unless you include both me and you joining in the casting of a Final Aeon" said Zaeon slowly, with a calm that chilled Yunalesca to the bone

- "Are you actually considering such a deadly course of action ?" asked Yunalesca

- "Why should you have all the fun ? If you are willing to risk a fate worst than dead to save your father and stop the Sin beast you should understand my resolve to risk just as much to help you. We are a team love!" said Zaeon firmly

- "Well let's move then " said Yunalesca

- "Sin is not here anymore love. Can't we help all those people ? Look at how many young children and families are being cornered by this Sin spawn monsters! " pleaded Zaeon

- "Oh all right valiant hero, lead the way and I'll follow" said Yunalesca resigned.

Zaeon was right, they could and did save many lives by killing fiends for hours without end. The couple was finally able to leave when reinforcements came from Guadosalam. Alas, there was no time to rest. Before getting to the Bevelle Maester, Yunalesca and Zaeon had to cross Via Infinito. The couple went through the maze's 100 floors of in a daze, mechanically hacking away at fiends, to exhausted both spiritually and physically to put much thought or finesse in their battles.. The last 20 floors went down fast for Zaeon but he could see his wife was shaking and almost out of magic points and potions when they reached the lowest floor. He himself wasn't much better after 80 floors of guarding them both against brutal physical attacks. The couple stopped a bit to catch their breath and were approached by a very fancily dressed Bevelle flunky who asked.

- "May I ask your reason to be here ? The Maesters orders are clear. He shall not be disturbed until he finishes his afternoon nap" said the attendant

- "Nap ? This imbecile is napping while Sin burns his city ? " bellowed Zaeon flush with anger

- "Now, now Mr. Zanarkand mage, there is no need to call our people names" said one of the Bevelle's praetors arriving at the scene and then yelped in pain.

- "Next time I will not aim for the ceiling. Now where is this imbecile's bedchamber ?" growled Yunalesca

- "Ahhhgh.. follow me please" said the praetor whimpering in pain from his singed scalp, which the Summoner's Flare spell barely had missed.

Shaking with fear, the praetor took them quickly to the Maester, who was already awake after all the noisy commotion outside his chambers

- "Lady Yunalesca I recognize your father's look on your beautiful face " said the Bevelle Maester cynically

- "I take it you have not heard of the mass killings that both our cities, Prairie City and the Guado have been targeted by" answered Zaeon coldly

- "The Guado too ? Such a shame I had hoped the beast had eXhausted itself in the battle with our city's cannons" lamented the Maester

- "No it hasn't. Sin has made mincemeat of your precious machina and proceeded to kill your own population while you guys have been here napping" said an outraged Zaeon

- "What else could I do? Unlike the mages from Zanarkand our people have very little magic skills. When our machina and our walls fail we are helpless" said the Maester with a pained face

- "Well, it seems most of your soldiers didn't think that way. Many of them died by our side this morning protecting your citizens. And the Guado have just arrived with reinforcements to aid their quest. And none of them had machina or walls.." said Yunalesca showing her contempt for the cowardly Bevelle Maester

- "Ha! You Bevelle maggots best stop your lying and cowering and give Leska the pyreflies. She is the only one that can stop Sin from killing all living beings in Spira and she needs your pyreflies to do that " said Zaeon coldly

The mages request baffled the Bevelle Maester. They were obviously very powerful and skilled mages, since they were able to cross Via Infinito. Why the heroics and the burning of one of his praetors?

- "But.. You can do it yourself Pardon my ignorance but as someone who defeated all the monsters in our maze, you two should have had no problem gathering the pyreflies from our subterranean water channels! " said the Maester

- "Send one of your clowns to those waterways and you will see why. They are gone. Yu Yevon used them all to weave an invincible armor. The sphere you guys saw is that armor. Yu Yevon called it Sin." Said Zaeon

- "Give me the pyreflies. Now! We have no time to loose. Sin didn't leave one single soul alive, one building standing in Zanarkand and Prairie City. I'm sure the beast wants to finish what it started here" said Yunalesca

- "But we have no pyreflies left Aside from the ones in our waterways the only pyreflies left are in Guadosalam, and that only has the bare minimum to avoid the Farplane from collapsing. Those or the pyreflies naturally spread all around Spira" said the singed praetor in a dazed panic

- "Then we are all dead" said Yunalesca desolated. They had no time to gather all the pyreflies spread around Spira, and removing the last pyreflies from the Farplane could destroy Spira even faster than Sin with the resulting explosion..

- "No Lesca, don't succumb to sorrow again We can still try the Final Summoning gambit" said Zaeon caressing her shoulders

- "But that won't kill Sin love, it will only buy us time" said Yunalesca sadly

- "And isn't time a worthy thing to buy ?" asked Zaeon softly

Exhausted and drained of all their emotional energy Yunalesca and Zaeon sat down at the Maester's chairs to ponder on their next course of action.

- "I'm glad you two have finally calmed down. Tears and heated words seldom resolve anything. We may have something that might help defeat your monster Sin" said the Bevelle Maester. Always conniving, he was hoping the two mages would help him find the lost weapon, stolen by a mortally wounded Zanarkand mage named Shuyin.

- "What kind of thing ?" asked Zaeon interested

The Bevelle Maester told Zaeon and Yunalesca about how Bevelle had attempted to build the largest weapon in Spira's history, a colossus called Vegnagun. The Bevelle council had once thought of using Vegnagun to quickly win the war but the machine had proved too difficult to control.

- "Being the cold blooded cowards that we are we refrained ourselves from releasing such an uncontrollable, murderous monster in Spira. It seems that the brave Zanarkand mages and their leader Yu Yevon had no such constraint" said the Maester icily

He knew that it was unwise to offend the 2 mages in front of him but he couldn't contain himself this time. Those people from Zanarkand had some nerve to call them traitors to Spira after irresponsibly unleashing that plague called Sin into their world Who were thy to lecture him ?

- "You will take those insulting words back or I shall call Sin to Bevelle myself " said Yunalesca furiously.

Those Bevelle maggots had some nerve to lecture her and her father in ethics, after spending more than a decade stealing Spira's magical energy Her father had unleashed Sin by accident, in a desperate attempt to keep their city alive. He was driven into this desperate act by Bevelle's treacherous war. Shaking with anger she started to summon an Aeon to teach those maggots some respect, but Zaeon stopped her, holding her staff firmly and shaking his head.

- "High Summoner please forgive us. What can we do to aid your quest ?" asked the unharmed praetor solicit and in panic

- "We need some moments alone to discuss matters and perhaps a place to rest and tend to our many scratches" said Zaeon looking at his filthy uniform and the cuts in his sword hand.

- "You may use this chamber and shower then." said the Maester and left with the 2 praetors in tow

Zaeon looked around disgusted at the opulent luxury. All this for one man, while the regular citizens of Bevelle were being left homeless, cold and hungry after Sin's attack . Ugh! The Bevelle leaders gave him the creeps !

**--- The First Calm**

After a hot shower, healing potions and some food Yunalesca and Zaeon felt a lot better. They started weighing their options.

- "Zaeon I don't want to loose you Are you sure we should do this ?" asked Yunalesca

- "I can't let you die trying to save your father all by yourself, when we both know you have a much better chance with me being your Final Aeon. And I can't let you live your whole life regretting what you didn't do just to spare me. I just wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did…" he said

- "But.." she tried to interrupt him

- "No love… I have thought about this during the whole 100 floors of Via Infinito. I want to do this. I want to give my life to save you, to save Spira and to save your father from the trap he got himself into. Just promise me you will keep hope alive: Your hope, your father's hope and Spira's hope. Don't let our word drown in sorrow "

- "Zaeon…" she said

- "Just promise me you will try, ok ?" he said and started kissing her tenderly.

And this is how Lady Yunalesca went to battle with Sin in the outskirts of Bevelle, armed only with her spells and the love of her life – Lord Zaeon - made into a Final Aeon. During the battle she did manage to pierce Sin's armor but instead of releasing her father she lost Zaeon. Unfortunately Yu Yevon's unconscious self, locked into the Summoning and casting action just jumped from his body to Zaeon's and proceeded killing both his daughter and her husband, incapable of noticing the horrors he was committing.

But their loss was not in vain, Yunalesca's attack had destroyed Sin's armor so whatever was left of Yu Yevon's spirit, the "thing" he had become had to wait until he gathered all the millions of pyreflies needed to weave the invincible armor. Which took almost 10 years, providing Spira with it's first calm period after Sin's mayhem. This first respite from Sin's killing was called "The First Calm".

But Yunalesca's pyreflies just could not rest on the Farplane! She had made a promise to Zaeon. To keep it. she has spent the past 1,000 years trying to keep Spira's hope alive. She was the first of the High Summoners to give 10 years of calm to Spira but every decade she guides another High Summoner through the process, to keep Spira alive for just another turn of Spira's never ending Spiral of Death. And a religion created by the 3 Bevelle leaders to better control their people makes sure that there are always eager candidates for Yunalesca to train...


	3. Chapter 3 Jecht: They call me Sin

FFX3.3

**Summary**:

The Fayth realize the high price Spira is paying for their dreaming. Jecht gets touched by Sin, Yuna, Tidus and the gang defeat Sin, The fayth stop dreaming, Tidus disappears (FFX ends), Yuna starts another adventure 2 year later, meeting Lenne and Shuyin and destroying Vegnagun (FFX2), Yuna goes home

**--- Year 900 BG – A terrible price for a dream**

As soon as the fayth realized what Yu Yevon / Sin were doing every 10 years, the fayth regretted their decision to join Yu Yevon's grandiose plan dearly. Preserving Zanarkand's memories wasn't worth submitting their fellow Spirans to 100 years of cruelty, death and mayhem. It wasn't worth turning Spira into a planet full of widows and orphans, where parents didn't get to see their kids grow up and parentless kids had to grow up in orphanages or band together in a mock family. A place where husbands and wives had just a few years together, brothers had to be surrogate parents and where few lived long enough to get old. A place where most young adults were already like their distant heir in the future, Yuna from FFX which had already been trough the grief of losing her mother, her father, her beloved Tidus and several friends to Sin while being only 19 years old.

The fayth were horrified by Sin's constant killing and the cruel Spiral of Death that Sin and an unconscious Yu Yevon have been inflicting on Spira for so long. They were also mortified that all this carnage had been done to protect them and their dream of keeping Zanarkand alive. Even if it was an accident, the fact that every 10 years a mass murder was committed in their name was something that made them feel sick to their stomach, if they still had one, but what could they do ? They were also under Yu Yevon's powerful spell. They just couldn't stop Sin by themselves alone. But they could help the High Summoner candidates train and they could help in the High Summoners last battle against Sin, even if it only gave Spirans a brief respite. And they could keep on dreaming, to keep their mind off all the sorrow they had inadvertently inflicted to Spira. So most of the Zanarkand fayth kept on dreaming, while a few went to the Yevon temples to provide Aeons for the High Summoner candidates. And that is how they have lived for almost 900 years.

**--- Year 10 BG – Jecht arrives in Spira, The Zanarkand Dream starts to crumble**

Almost 1,000 years have passed after Yu Yevon has summoned the city of Zanarkand to preserve it and protect it from Bevelle. The fayth on the huge fayth stone at the base of Mt Gagazet were tired of dreaming and tired of seeing Spirans die at the hands of Sin, but they had no way to stop any of it. If only they had listened to Lord Kyouyu! Alas, there was nothing they could do but dream… Some had even forgot that there was anything to do but dream, giving up their hope of one day waking up and not seeing Spira's Death Spiral turning right in front of their eyes

On the Zanarkand of their dream, life had progressed peacefully for 1,000 years. Dream people were born, lived their lives and faded away, just like real Spirans but with a much easier life. No war had touched dream Zanarkand, and although they had only limited magic the Dream Zanarkand citizens had machines to provide them with the amenities of a modern city life. Instead of the Zanarkand Dome, the Dream City had a giant stadium, where the city's residents could watch concerts, blitzball games and other shows. The city nightlife was very active, Dream Zanarkand never slept, always having a bar or dance place open. Kids in Dream Zanarkand got to see their parents often and parents were able to see their kids grow up, blossoming into young adults that made them proud.

But not all was idyllic in Dream Zanarkand. The fayth wanted their city to feel real so a person's life in Dream Zanarkand was still fraught with the pains and sorrows that afflict us all: Jobs were lost, people got divorced, friends fought, parents and kids got estranged from each other. There were saints and sinners, good cops and bad cops, and someone's life could got through all the ups and downs one can go through in one of our own sky scraper ridden cities. Some had drinking problems, some were thieves and there were pickpockets, con artists and all the riff raff that usually prey on a big city. Dream Zanarkand's life wouldn't feel too strange for a New Yorker.

One day, roughly 10 years ago, Jecht, a famous blitzball player from Dream Zanarkand was swimming outside the Zanarkand shore to practice some moves. Jecht was getting older and his career had been going downhill, so he had been drinking heavily and fighting a lot with his wife and 7 year old son. On that day he swam too far from shore and inadvertently got in contact with Sin.

After Jecht was touched by Sin he woke up in Spira, on the shores near Bevelle. This was the beginning of the end for Dream Zanarkand, as Jecht started a series of events that brought Tidus to Spira and allowed the fayth to finally get some help in stopping Yu Yevon, not the Summoner but the unconscious "thing" who lived only for Sin and summoning that was all that remained from the once great Zanarkand mage.

--- Year 0 AG – FFX Game starts - Sin is back, Jecht is in it. Jecht begs Auron to free him

At the Zanarkand dome 10 years ago Jecht had volunteered to be Braska's Final Aeon. The last thing Jecht was able to ask Auron before the transformation was to have Auron find a way to travel to his Zanarkand and take care of Tidus, his 7 year old son. When Yu Yevon possessed Jecht's Final Aeon their minds merged and Jecht was able to find the truth about his and Tidus Zanarkand: It was just a summon from Yu Yevon and the Zanarkand fayth. After meeting a dying Auron in his last throes at the outskirts of Bevelle, Jecht chose not to tell Auron about his Zanarkand being a dream of the fayth, opting for absorbing Auron's unsent form into the summons of Dream Zanarkand instead. Dream or not Tidus was his kid, the boy would need a father or at least a mentor. After Jecht's help Auron arrived at Dream Zanarkand and immediately started looking for Jecht's family, to keep his promise The last thing Jecht was able to do before being completely subjugated by Yu Yevon's need to rebuild Sin was to tell Auron that he would come back in 10-20 years to get Tidus and Auron and take them to the Spira where Zanarkand was just ruins.

Jecht woke up on and off during the next nine years, but his first vivid memory was from the day Sin was about to massacre some crusaders gathered at Djose beach. He saw all the carnage and his heart ached at the people dying senselessly but he could not control the beast and was limited to watch in horror as Sin killed and killed, hundreds of men, young adults and even women and children. He did not know then, but one of the dead was Wakka's brother Chappu. Jecht fought Sin / Yu Yevon with all his strength and was finally able to turn the beast around to sea, after the beast lust for violence had been satiated by hundreds of deaths. It was almost too late, but Jecht's action managed to spare a few dozen of wounded and dazed soldiers. Jecht wanted to scream, to cry. He was nauseated at all that he had seen. But the tears never came. , the nausea never ended. While he was awake ,there was no relief for his guilt and repulse at what he had just done. Only oblivion, only by letting his self go and letting Sin / Yu Yevon dominate all his thoughts he could get some reprieve. He was part of the monster now.

Jecht knew he would continue killing as Sin just until a High Summoner stopped him, but when would that happen ? Would he still be himself after seeing that kind of carnage for 1 month ? For 1 year ? He had to do something. And it had to be soon before Sin's violence consumed him and he got as insane and oblivious to killing as the "thing" that called itself Yu Yevon. Jecht shuddered at the thought of it. A fate worse than death, for the dead were allowed rest from Spira's sorrow.

Jecht managed to contact Auron in Dream Zanarkand and told him that it was time. He wanted him and Tidus back to Spira of Sin and Summoners. Jecht explained to Auron his despair at becoming a mass murdering monster and his fear of loosing his soul to that violence. He begged Auron to find a way to free him, and to find a way for him and Tidus to talk one last time. And that is when Jecht and Auron planned the mission that Auron and Tidus would try in Spira: Have Tidus and Auron aid a High Summoner kill Sin before Jecht was too far gone. This way Jecht would be able to talk with his son one last time. They decided to bring Tidus to Besaid, where Auron knew Yuna, Lord Braska's daughter, was. Lord Braska was the High Summoner they had journeyed with, their mutual friend who had lead the pilgrimage and had given his life to provide Spira's latest calm was. Auron had promised Braska that he would take care of Yuna and he wanted to keep his word.

--- They call me Sin… (From my short story about Jecht)

Those battles are getting harder and harder.. I finally managed to get where I want but I am exhausted, unable to think straight any longer… But I can't afford to loose my control. Not now. I battled too much to get here. Somehow I thought it would be easier this time.

They call me Sin. But I'm still fighting. Today more than ever. I have to fight my murdering urges. Just a bit longer. My son Tidus is down there. I gave up too much to loose him now, but I can barely keep myself from killing him and all around him, oblivious to what I destroy. I need Auron to get my son out of there before I can't hold myself any longer. I fear the worst. Auron, where are you ?

Patience. If I loose my temper all is lost. I will be engulfed in a murderous rage and all the last 10 years would have been in vain. Patience, ha! I never had it, now it is even more impossible… Damn it, Auron where are you ? I can't hold out much longer.

Finally! What took you so long ? Of course I'm sure about it! Give me my son! Now!

Relief. Anger. Oblivion. Horror. Guilt, so much guilt! The familiar kaleidoscope of emotions after I killed so many starts dancing around my head… But I mostly feel a great sense of relief. I got it. I got Tidus into my life again. He is here in the ruins of Zanarkand, unconscious. And I can at least feel a little bit like myself again..

Where's Auron ? He could be here, guiding my son. That lousy stiff! Sorry Auron, I know I can trust you, I just wish you were down there now. Yes, I know you took care of him for the past 10 years but would it kill you to hold on a little longer ? Tidus is such a crybaby. He is crying again, see ? A softie like his mom… Does he really play blitz well? He seems a little small… Are you sure you made him eat well ?

So tired! I need to sleep. I wasn't able to get my son to his final destination. It will have to wait, I have no energy left to fight… He will be safe in this sunken city. The Zanarkand that I just destroyed, but 1,000 years later… Damn it Auron, did you have to leave so soon ?

Darkness and oblivion engulf me and I welcome them. They release me form from my guilt and my worries

The lone boat in the ocean looks like a toy ship from where I am. Tidus is there, I can sense it. I can sense some other people around him. People that helped him, fed him and are being his friends for the past two days. People that I need to kill now. I will try to leave him some of his friends. But I'm too exhausted Zanarkand, from the battle to keep Tidus alive, from traveling through time, from wanting to do this for so long and finally doing it.

The enormous relief is the closest thing to happiness I have felt in 10 years. I feel like crying. One day I hope I will be able to tell you Tidus, to tell you that I never cared if you were a cry baby, I loved you just the same. I just worried, you know ? Life is not easy on the people who feel deeply like you and your mom. I had to be tough. I had to be the one who protected you. The one who would make you strong.

There you are, sleeping like a baby in my arms. You were always such a tiny little runt! I was always nervous I would let you fall, so I usually gave you back to your mom immediately. But I loved to see you sleeping peacefully, I loved to sing you a lullaby. Do you remember the lullaby I used to sing for you ? I still sing it even though you can't hear me anymore…

I ev yu i

No bo me no

Re n mi ri

Yo ju yo gov

Ha sa te ka na e

Ku ta ma e

I can't stop crying son, but the tears won't come out. I scream with remorse but my screams are lodged in my throat. I wasn't always a murderer, son. I never wanted to be one. But one day, ten years ago, I fell through the sands of time from your Zanarkand to this pale shadow we have here, one thousand years later. And 10 moths later I woke up a mass murderer. They call me Sin now. It is not who I want to be. It is not - not yet - who I am. But I'm losing this battle. I need you to rescue me from myself, son.

Oh, what's the use! You are sleeping and you can't hear me. But I will keep talking to you. I will keep singing you to sleep. It is my last shred of humanity. My last shred of the Jecht I was. . It is what kept me alive all this years. If you can call this living… There. Go! Wake up to write "your story" as Auron says. And Tidus ? Hate me as much as you want but kill me soon. I can't live like that for much longer.

I did it Auron! I left him in Besaid's beach. I will try to leave you and him alone for a while. But you better get him ready fast. I'm loosing control Auron. I can't hold out for much longer. In a few months I will be Sin. They call me Sin now and I will be Sin soon. You have to help me. You have to protect Tidus and Yuna from me. You have to keep both of them safe from all the other evils that await them. Do you promise me Auron ? On your life ?

Ha! Got you there you old stiff! Just get them ready will you ? Trust me, I have a plan… Jecht out.

**--- Year 0 AG – FFX Game ends - Sin is dead, Jecht is free**

Helped by Auron and Tidus, Yuna and her Spira friends, her guardians were able to reach Zanarkand's ruins. At the fayth spring near Zanarkand Tidus learns he is part of the fayth's dream. At the dome they meet Yunalesca who tells Yuna she has to choose one of her friends to be turned into a fayth, just like Zaeon had done long ago. Yuna asks Yunalesca if there is any hope of killing Sin this time and Yunalesca tells her the truth: Sin will come back regardless of any atonement by Spirans or Yuna's skill as a Summoner , because Yu Yevon will take the fayth created by Yunalesca from one of Yuna's friends and use it to rebuild Sin.

Yuna is horrified and refuses to let one of her friends die for a lie. Yunalesca tells her the lie is needed to preserve Spira's hope, but Yuna refuses to accept this. Yuna and her guardians decide to battle Yunalesca, by now angry at Yuna and trying to send Yuna and her guardians to "rest" on the Farplane. After all those years Yunalesca's commitment to her promise to Zaeon has crystallized into a fanatic need to create a Final Aeon every 10 years and she will go as far as killing Yuna and her entire team to avoid any disruptions on Spira's cycle of death / calm. By now Yunalesca is as much a prisoner of Spira's Spiral of Death as her father is.

Yuna's team kills Yunalesca. After 1,000 years Yunalesca finally goes to the Farplane where she joins Zaeon and his spirit starts to heal her wounded spirit, trapped for so long in Spira's spiral of death. After the battle with Yunalesca they go to Bevelle where Yuna and Tidus talk with Bahamut's fayth and learn more about the thing Yu Yevon has become. Bahamut's fayth promises to help Yuna and her team but he cautions Tidus about the consequences of stopping the fayth's dreaming: Tidus will most likely fade away together with Dream Zanarkand. Inspired by Yuna's commitment to sacrificing herself for Spira Tidus can do no less. Tidus accepts his imminent death and tells Bahamut's fayth he is grateful for the life he has had to date. Tidus lies to a puzzled Yuna, trying to hide the need for his sacrifice from her.

Talking to the other fayth at Spira's temples Tidus gets a faint hope that he may yet return to Spira but he understands that he must disappear now. After having accepted Yuna's willingness to die just to give just 10 years without Sin, could he do any different?

Aided by Tidus and the fayth, Yuna and her team finally kill Sin and the thing that Yu Yevon had become. The fayth could finally stop dreaming and Spira's Death Spiral had been stopped. But that meant that Tidus could no longer exist, as he was a product of the fayth's dreams. But he accepted it, after Yuna taught him the value of self sacrifice, he was ready to sacrifice himself to obtain what she was willing to give her own life to get...

--- 0 AG – FFX Game ends - Tidus disappears - Game scene. Defeat Jecht, Nemesis and Penance if needed (1)

_Tidus' group's final battle is against Yu Yevon_. _Finally, after defeating Yu Yevon, Yu Yevon is gone… Yuna performs her sending. Auron's is disappearing._

_Auron: Don't stop._

_Yuna: But I..._

_Auron: It's all right. It's been long enough. This is your world now._

_Auron steps on the center circle and he disappears . ..Yuna performs her sendings on the Aeons and Sin.. Then, we see the Caverns of Darkness where the water stopped forming a whirlwind. One of the water bubbles shows Tidus in it… in the airship, Tidus is starting to disappear from Spira._

_Tidus: Yuna, I have to go._

_Yuna nods "no"._

_Tidus: I'm sorry I couldn't show you Zanarkand. Goodbye!_

_Tidus is about to jump off the airship._

_Wakka: Hey!_

_Rikku: We're gonna see you again...?_

_Yuna runs after Tidus._

_Kimahri: Yuna!_

_Yuna tried to hold on to Tidus, but she went through and fell down._

_Tidus is disappearing. Yuna gets up._

_Yuna: I love you._

_Tidus gave Yuna a hug although she can't feel him. Then Tidus is about to jump and the group started waving goodbye. Tidus jumps off the airship, and we see Jecht, Auron, and Braska. Jecht reunites with Tidus._

_Later in Luca, Yuna tried the whistle blow with fingers, but it is no use, as we know Tidus is gone._

_Lulu: Yuna, it's time._

_Everyone in Luca are happy as they are about to listen to Yuna…_

_Yuna: Just, one more thing... The people and the friends that we have lost, or the dreams that have faded..._

_Yuna: Never forget them._

_Then credits roll and the song Suteki Da Ne (Isn't It Wonderful?) plays. After that, we watch the final movie of Tidus waking up in the water and he swims all the way up. This ends our story and the game._

_(1) Source: GAMEFAQ - Game Script - Written by Oliver Kong_

**--- 2 AG – Game FFX2 Starts, 2 years after the events in FFX happened**

Two years have passed since Yuna has destroyed Sin. Like almost everyone in Spira, the Besaid's blitzball team members - the Besaid Aurochs, - have decided to join one of the new teams pursuing the secrets of Spira's past. Keeping with the tradition of Besaidians Luzu and Gatta, the Aurochs decide to side with former Crusader Nooj and his Youth League. Yuna's hometown is understandably not very fond of New Yevon, after the old Yevon order caused Yuna so much grief two years ago.

Meanwhile Yuna joins Rikku on the hunt for clues of Spira's past, as a sphere hunter. Two years ago Rikku joined Yuna's pilgrimage as a guardian right before Yuna reached Guadosalam, on the hopes of protecting Yuna from certain death in the battle with Sin. Now, being the fiercely protective cousin she is, Rikku has dragged Yuna out of Besaid and her sheltered existence, trying to rescue Yuna from her sadness and to teach Yuna how to have fun. Together with Brother and his friends Buddy and ShinRa, plus a mysterious girl called Paine they form a team called the Gullwings. Yuna, Rikku and Paine form the YRP branch of the Gullwings, who does the hunting and the battling while Buddy, Brother and ShinRa provide support and fly the Airship Celsius around Spira to get the girls everywhere they need to be.

--- 2 AG – Game FFX2 chapter 2 - The Fayth Sings to Yuna ( from my Wedding Bells at Besaid Fan Fiction)

Lunch at Lulu's was delicious, much better than the usual barkeep's fare they had at the spaceship. Yuna and the girls told Wakka and Lulu their plan to sneak up on the thief guild's leader chateau as soon as they pilfered some syndicate uniforms. The nerve of that thief to swipe a sphere from the Celsius! Motherhood suited Lulu well: Smiling and jovial Lulu was a far cry from the short fused sermon granting guardian she had been in Yuna's pilgrimage. Wakka was his usual self: a warm hearted bear hugging befuddled loyal friend, obsessing about his latest challenge - imminent fatherhood - and moving cheerfully around.

Yuna closed her eyes and just listened to the excited voices around her. Besaid would always be her home. This is where she settled in after her father died fighting Sin when she was merely 7, this was the place he had chosen for her to grow up. Ever since Kimahri brought her to Besaid all those years ago she had had Lulu and Wakka beside her. Despite being born in Bevelle, and currently being traveling all around Spira on the Celsius, this is where her home was. In Besaid the dull ache that was Tidus absence didn't bother her as much. Unlike the rest of Spira, which they crossed together on her High Summoner's pilgrimage 2 years ago, here she had many other happy memories that didn't include Tidus. Still, the sight of a blitzball ball always made her heart race, regardless of where she was, and Wakka had his, and the Tournament Trophy he and Tidus conquered hanging on the wall behind her. Tidus and Wakka were so proud of that trophy!

The memories came rushing into Yuna's mind, of Tidus on the boat to Kilika practicing his Jecht shot, of the Luca Goers harassing Tidus and Wakka about the Aurochs endless losing streak, about her getting so mad at the Goers players she wanted to punch them… And there was that lump on her throat back, the longing that came with any memory of her time with Tidus, the urge to yell and laugh madly, like she and Tidus had done on the stairs of Luca and Kilika.

Yuna rushed outside before anyone noticed the tears welling up on her eyes, looking for a place to be alone with her sadness. She definitely didn't want to hear another pep talk from Rikku or another sermon telling her to "let go" from Lulu and Paine. Yuna wished that Kimahri was here. His calm silent presence always made her losses seem less daunting. He had been with her as her guardian ever since her father's death, but nowadays he was needed at Mt. Gagazet, to guide the Ronso trough their troubles. She walked alone towards the temple hill she had gone so many times before. She could swear she heard the hymn of the faith beckoning her there, as it had done all her life until the faith left 2 years ago taking Tidus with them…

Alone with her tears Yuna stood, looking at the sun reflected in the blue waters of the calm bay. There was no faith hymn anymore. It made the absence of her beloved Aeons and her friends Kimahri, Auron and Tidus even more obvious. Tidus absence was like an open chest wound by now, the pain spreading and making her body feel numb and cold. She was shivering under the high noon sun. Once more she thought of Kimahri and the memories of her father, her mother, Chappu, Luzu and all her other friends lost to Sin came rushing back.

Oddly enough, this made her feel a little bit better about Tidus. Their last battle and his loss ensured that no one else would lose friends or family to that monster. As her father once said, by defeating Sin they had put an end to sorrow itself. He was right. Her own pain was nothing compared to the grief and sorrow Sin and Yu Yevon submitted Spira on the past 1,000 years. Drying her tears in her skirt she slowly made her way back to Lulu's, bent on getting back to the Celsius and away from her memories as soon as she could.

--- 2 AG – Game FFX2 chapter 3 – Fiends coming out of the Temples, Dark Aeons, Yuna visits the Farplane (Source Final Fantasy Compendium – FF10 Story)

_Fiends begin popping out of the temples. Apparently ..dark Aeons are behind it. First the Gullwings head to Besaid, where they find Beclem (a guy sent by the Youth League to whip the Aurochs into shape) and Wakka in a fight over how to deal with it. Beclem wants to burn down the temple, Wakka would rather not. In the end, the Gullwings beat dark Valefor and the fiends stop anyway. A big hole is there where the fayth used to be._

_Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal all disappear; they head for the Farplane, where they aim to stop Shuyin. Shuyin's aura finally leaves Nooj and enters Baralai, who goes towards Vegnagun, pursued by the other two._

_With the disappearance of their leaders, Spira begins to fall into chaos and bickering. (3)_

--- 2 AG – Game FFX2 chapter 4 - Tensions rising in Spira ( Summary of game events from my Wedding Bells at Besaid Fan Fiction)

The tension and aggression between the two warring factions of New Yevon and the Youth League started escalating rapidly with both their leaders missing... Kilika was in the brink of war with the Yevonites under siege in the temple surrounded by the nervous Youth League warriors. Donna their resident Summoner was usually able to calm things down but she was having problems of her own with Bartello this time. Things were only slightly better at the other Spira villages. The girls started fearing the worst. With tempers running high, any little incident could spark a planet wide fight between Yevonites and Youth Leaguers. Even cool headed business tycoon Rin was on the edge, after being plagued by a slew of strange incidents involving his hovers and the machina he used to protect Mi'hen Highroad.

Yuna, Rikku and Paine wanted to do something and Brother deferred to Yuna's wishes as usual, blustering "let's kick some Vegnangun's arse" with bravado. But this time Yuna and her team were just too tired to fight the colossus, a machina / fiend almost as large as Sin, controlled by a very powerful hate filled unsent spirit like Shuyin. So what could they do to help calm Spira ?

- "It's not like we can get everyone to sing campfire songs" mused Paine aloud

- "That's it!" shouted Yuna and Rikku together

- "That's what ?" asked Brother

- "Yuna can throw a concert. That ought to help people calm down" said Rikku

- "That's perfect!" said Brother who was already having visions of a scantly clad Yuna singing and dancing in front of him and immediately getting kicked by Rikku who saw his leering eyes and read his intentions easily

--- 2 AG – Game FFX2 chapter 4 – Lenne's song ( Summary of game events from my Wedding Bells at Besaid Fan Fiction)

At the concert Lenne's spirit came loose from Yuna's dancer dressphere and overwhelmed Yuna and ShinRa's large stage spheres. All of a sudden concert goers were presented with a virtual replica of Zanarkand from 1,000 years ago and of Lenne's last moments on it: Her desperate escape from Bevelle with her lover Shuyin, the lovers being cornered against the colossus Vegnagun and the Yevonite guard mercilessly executing the couple. This all to the tune of a heartfelt song from Lenne describing the foolishness of war and the beauty of love, and the regret she had of never being able to tell Shuyin how much she loved him, until it was too late. There was not a dry eye left in the Thunder Plains and on the people watching the concert all across Spira via commsphere. And that's when the permanently overcast skies of the plains parted to let a ray of sunlight bathe Yuna / Lenne while the Summoner and the spirit sang of their hope for peace and love in Spira.

Yuna woke up from her trance merge with Lenne on their cabin on the Celsius, being attended by a very worried Rikku and Paine. Nevertheless, she felt perfectly fine. Now Yuna finally understood why Shuyin was so angry and hate filled and what was missing for him, what would make his spirit rest: Lenne's last words of love. Rikku and Paine told her the good news: All Spira had been moved by her song and the Yevonites and Leaguers had started peace talks right after the concert.

**--- 2 AG – Game FFX2 chapter 5- Vegnagun destroyed, Shuyin and Lenne reunited**

At the bridge Brother fretted and fussed around Yuna but she was relieved upon learning the reason behind Lenne's periodical hijacking of her body. Having loved Tidus just as much as the unfortunate lovers she could understand Lenne's urgency to contact Shuyin and had a good idea of his regrets. She had harbored similar thoughts about the loss of Tidus, Sir Auron and her Aeons for the last 2 years, until that day in Spira when she was finally able to make peace with her and Tidus sacrifice for Spira. Shuyin's spirit had been adrift in sorrow and regret for the last 1,000 years never able to make peace with his and Lenne's sacrifice, never able to understand that it wasn't his fault things turned out so dire, never hearing Lenne's absolution and her love for him regardless of the tragic fate he brought them both. That for 1,000 years! 100 would be enough to drive anyone insane. Only Lenne's love had a chance to heal Shuyin's tortured soul.

Yuna felt she could give Shuyin and Lenne the gift of closure and redemption. And as with Sin's destruction. Yuna was pretty sure no one else could do it but her. She just knew. Being who she was, the daughter of a man who gave his life for his fellow men without hesitation, Yuna could do no less. And just as before with Sin, Yuna was committed to give all of her strength and skills to bring relief to endless grief and sorrow. She would disarm Vegnagun and heal the lovers spirit or die trying.

After an event filled battle with Vegnagun the Gullwing girls were able to destroy it and reunite Lenne with Shuyin , Yuna is finally ready to go home to Besaid, a little less devastated at her loss of the love of her life Tidus, after seeing how Shuyin's regrets for loosing Lenne almost drove him utterly insane…

--- 2 AG – FFX2 Game ends - Tidus comes back - Game scene. Defeat Vegnagun and Shuyin, get 100 completion to see all including Perfect Ending (2)

Fayth: Thanks. (Bahamut's Fayth thanks Yuna for rescuing them from Vegnagun)

Yuna: You're very welcome.

Fayth: You heard it, didn't you? (He is referring to Tidus whistling that Yuna had just heard twice)

Fayth: You want to see him?

Yuna: Him?

Fayth: Yes. You want to walk together again?

Yuna: Yes!

Fayth: I can't promise anything but we'll do what we can.

Fayth fades, Yuna walks into the distance

… (later at the Celsius deck)

Rikku: Did we really have to leave like that? Just think of the party we are missing!

Paine: I think we party enough, don't you?

Yuna: Brother, higher!

Brother: Roger!

….

Celsius flies some more and Yuna thinks to herself

Yuna: So much has happened.

Yuna: And I'm sure it's only the beginning.

Yuna: Through the smiles and tears, through the anger

Yuna: .. and the laughter that follows..

Yuna: That I'll keep changing.

Yuna: This is my story. It'll be a good one.

Yuna: It all began when I saw this sphere of you. (2)

--- Footnotes

(1) Source: GAMEFAQ - FFX Game Script - Written by Oliver Kong

(2) Source: GAMEFAQ, FFX2 Ending Guide by Aerius

(3) Source: Final Fantasy Compendium – FF10 Story


	4. Chapter 4 Tidus and Yuna save the day

FFX3.4

**Author's notes:**  
Spoiler central! This chapter includes all FFX and FFX2 good and perfect endings. Stop reading right now if you didn't complete both games and you don't want spoilers.  
12/15/05 - _Italics_ - Dialogue and summary of scenes from the games, without my fiction added (just in case you didn't get to see all the FFX2 game endings yet).  


**Summary:** Tidus meets Yuna again, two years after he disappeared. They visit Zanarkand and the get back to Besaid. Tidus and Yuna get married.

**--- Year 0 AG, 2 years before FFX 2 – Sin / Farplane – At the Airship and at the Caverns of Darkness whirlwind  
**_  
After saying goodbye to Yuna and the others Tidus hurried up to catch up with Auron and Jecht_. He didn't want to see that much pain in her face. He didn't want Yuna to see how painful this was for him too.  
Hopefully it would all be over soon and he would fade away before the rush from beating Sin passed so he wouldn't feel the loss of all that was dear to him.  
When Tidus caught up with Jecht and Auron, his dad was teasing Auron about his sword moves, saying Auron was getting old and that his blows had just tickled him. The two old guardians simply loved to get at each other's nerves, but you could see the twinkle in Jecht's eyes and Auron's. That was their way to tell each other how much their friendship mattered, how grateful Jecht was for Auron's dedication and how relieved Auron was that he had finally released his friend from being Sin, a fate worse than death.

- "Hey, I got you good with my Blitz attack, didn't I ?" said Tidus joining the playful banter._ They start dissolving into pireflies. After Tidus dissolved into pireflies, a bubble with his face appears at the caverns of darkness whirlwind. _Could it be that Tidus pireflies were gathered into a bubble by his fayth friend, the little boy who served as fayth for the Aeon Bahamut ? _We see Tidus waking up under water, on a crystal clear turquoise blue sea._  
**  
--- 2 AG Game FFX2 chapter 5 - Farplane Glen - Vegnagun destroyed, Shuyin and Lenne reunited - Normal Ending**

_While at the Gullwings Yuna manages to save Spira from destruction yet again, just two short years after she defeated Sin. After an event filled battle with the gigantic machina monster called Vegnagun, Yuna and the girls were able to destroy it and it's weapons and defeat Vegnagun's pilot, the unsent called Shuyin. The Gullwings also reunite Shuyin with his long lost lover Lenne. Lenne's absence and Shuyin's guilt at having been unable to save her had driven Shuyin insane with despair and he had tried to destroy Spira with Vegnagun in an attempt to stop his pain. Only Lenne's love for him had been able to cure him. That and some thorough butt kicking from the 3 girls who had to defeat him in battle to get Shuyin to listen to Yuna and Lenne's spirit._

_After all those battles Yuna is finally ready to go home to Besaid, a little less devastated at her loss of the love of her life Tidus, after seeing how Shuyin's regrets for losing Lenne almost drove him utterly insane The Celsius airship takes Yuna to Besaid._  
**  
--- Year 2 AG, FFX 2 "Good Ending" – Reunion At Besaid Beach**

_Two and a half years after he dissolved into pireflies Tidus wakes up in the middle of sea water, and slowly looks up; he is floating in a clear turquoise blue ocean. He wonders if he is in Besaid and swims to the surface. It is Besaid! He is in the same white sandy beach he met Wakka three years ago_. He remember dreaming about Yuna, about her whistling to him and following him in Luca. Anxious to see Yuna_Tidus whistles, but there is no reply so he walks to the shore to see if he can find his friends and the people of Besaid.  
A noise come from behind Tidus and he turns to see what it is. It is an airship! The airship is the Celsius, which sprays water on Tidus, as it lands on the beach. Yuna jumps out of the airship and hugs Tidus. They kiss happily.  
- "Are you real?" asks Yuna  
- "I think so... Do I pass?" answers Tidus  
Yuna nods and hugs him again  
Rikku and Paine laugh from the airship, while Wakka tells the lovebirds to get a room. The whole village, including Lulu and baby Vidina ,came to shore to welcome Yuna who is finally coming home after her sphere hunting adventures. To their surprise, their beloved friend Tidus is there too. They all wave to Tidus and Yuna happily while Tidus waves them back._  
But after all this time dreaming of Yuna, Tidus wants to talk to her, hold her, kiss her. Somehow she seems different, and not only the way she dresses, her Summoner's dress is now a skimpy skirt and Yuna has a top with his symbol embroidered between a revealing two piece bikini bra. Hmm…She looks hot! Tidus thought to himself.  
_- "You know, you've changed." said Tidus  
- "Well, you've missed a few things" answers Yuna and proceeds to tell him her adventures in sphere hunting, while they swim_. They make their way back to the Celsius. Yuna tells Rikku and Paine that she will catch up with them later in Besaid and pushes the girls off the ramp in a hurry.

**--- Year 2 AG, right after FFX 2 – "Perfect Ending" At Zanarkand**

After leaving Rikku and Paine at Besaid's beach Yuna and Tidus board the airship and go meet the rest of the crew at the ship's bridge. Yuna introduces Tidus to barkeep and ShinRa and reintroduces him to Buddy, who was on Cid's ship 2 years ago right before their final battle with Sin. Tidus still remembered Brother, Cid's son and Rikku's sibling. After the introductions Yuna asks Brother to drop her an Tidus in Zanarkand. They still have a lot to talk about - and to catch up - and Yuna and Tidus want some real privacy. Zanarkand is the perfect place for it as it is devoid of people and also is the last place they saw each other before battling Yunalesca, Sin and all their nemesis two years ago … Zanarkand was and will always be their own special place.

Pretty soon _Tidus and Yuna are finally alone standing in the deserted Zanarkand Ruins. Tidus tells Yuna that he has a theory. He thinks the fayth gathered up his thoughts and put 'em together to bring him back. But maybe he is still a dream, says Tidus half worried, half teasing Yuna_. It is not just a tease, though. It is hard for him to know what really happened as he can only remember getting really sleepy right after he left Yuna two years ago. After that, all he can remember is dreaming, and of those dreams he remembers only some fragments of them, all centered around Yuna, with her whistling to him or of him being around Yuna beckoning her to find him.

_- " Wait! so you'll disappear?" asks Yuna worried_. She doesn't want to loose him again, not this time!  
- "Be with me, love me, _cherish me, Yuna. And I'll cherish you. We gotta stay together. That's what we have to do." says Tidus passionately_  
-_ "Is that what the Fayth told you?" asks Yuna, hugging him  
- " Nah. But I like it" says Tidus and laughs_, his seriousness and passion gone  
- "Oh really ?" says Yuna. _Yuna comes closer to Tidus and then pushes Tidus into the water_. He will pay for making her worry like that, so soon after they finally get together again! Cold water time!  
_- "That's not cherishing!" complains a soaked Tidus laughing indignant  
- " You didn't disappear… says Yuna as Tidus looks at his hands amazed that they are solid, real and he is not fading away. Tidus laughs happily and Yuna sighs hopeful that her story will be a good one from now on_  
- "See ? You are still here! This means I can still spank you if you make me worried again!" says Yuna laughing and joins Tidus in the water. They start a spirited game of water tag, where Yuna takes the opportunity to show an appreciative Tidus how she has been practicing diving and blitzball moves.  
**  
--- Year 2 AG, right after "Perfect Ending" At Zanarkand in FFX 2 - Marriage proposal**

After their water tag game, Yuna and Tidus climb back on shore and sit down by their favorite spot on Zanarkand: The campfire above the city where they can see the entire city and it's beautiful Dome Ruins under a star filled sky . The couple digs into the picnic basket that barkeep prepared them and Yuna tells Tidus about her adventures in Sphere hunting. At nightfall, well fed and with all the news already exchanged they both sit quietly watching the city below.

- "Yuna.. ?" asks Tidus a bit hesitant  
- "Yes ?" she answers looking at him.  
- "Do you think we can pick up …" Tidus continues  
- "Pick up ?" she asks  
- "Pick up our relationship where we left 2 years ago ? I want to Yuna. Very much. But you changed.. Do you still.." Tidus starts and gets shushed by Yuna  
- "Do you still think I will give you any other answer but yes ?" she asks

- "Well, in that case there is something I have been wanting to do with you for a very long time…" Tidus answers and starts kissing her passionately

Much later Yuna looks at Tidus sleeping by her side, filled with a mixture of happiness, excitement, contentment and something else she can't describe. Is that fear of loosing him ?

Yuna had wanted Tidus near her ever since they talked to each other for the first time, two and a half years ago. She almost drove Lulu and Wakka nuts with her insistent pleas to add Tidus as her guardian. But then Sir Auron had joined their team and he had requested that Tidus accompanied them and they stood together until the end… The end of Sin. And possibly her end too. Tidus had loved her so completely that he understood her decision to give her life just to kill Sin, like all High Summoners before her. _He had asked Yuna just once for her to give up her quest, but when she told him why she couldn't quit, he had accepted. Tidus had agreed to stay with her until the end, her end, and beyond. "Not until the end.. Always" he had said to her (1)_. But that was not how fate chose to write their story…

After Sin's defeat, Yuna didn't die but quite unexpectedly, Tidus died. Or at least, everyone thought he had died, as _Tidus was taken away from Yuna, sent to the Farplane by the fayth waking up from their dreams_. And Yuna, who was quite ready to give her life for others but never expected to be the one left behind mourning was forced to see her love vanish right in front of her eyes. And in spite of all the happiness the final destruction of Sin brought to Spira, Yuna could not be happy, as she had to live with the gaping hole in her heart which was the lack of her lover, her Aeons, her dear friend Sir Auron…

_Yuna had tried to move on and to forget, she had tried to hide her pain from Lulu, Rikku and all those around her_, but she failed. Now that she had Tidus at her side she knew that in the past 2 years she had missed him much more than she had admitted, even to herself, and specially to others .… I missed Tidus so much! Yuna thought and Yuna realized she never wanted to miss him again. But… Would he want to ? Would Tidus want to be tied to her now that he has just been handed his life back ? Could she really demand that much from him ?

- "What's that big frown for ? I'm back, aren't I ?" asks Tidus waking up and rubbing his eyes sleepily.  
- "Oh Nothing.. Never mind." Said Yuna donning her "Summoner smile" to conceal her worries  
- "You are a bad liar, you know ? What is it ? Spill it. Haven't we gone through more than enough to be honest with each other ?" Tidus answers exasperated.  
- "Yes. No more lies then. It's just that… I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But only if you want to" says Yuna  
- "IF I want to ? What are you talking about ? After what just happened ? Of course I want to! Didn't I promise 2 years ago that I was going to stay with you always ?" Tidus asks surprised  
- "Yes, but things are different now. We actually have an entire lifetime to spend together not just a few weeks. You have just gotten your life back! I know you want me, but for how long ? I wouldn't want to be a burden, tying you down.." said Yuna sadly  
- "Yuna… I love you, Yuna. There is no life for me without you in it, you should know that by now!" Tidus answered

Tidus started caressing Yuna, her face, her hair.. Then it hit him: He realized what he could do to prove to Yuna and the world how much he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. It wasn't a bad idea really… As long as they held off a bit on having kids, they could still be together AND enjoy his new lease on life. Perfect!

- "Yuna.. Will you marry me ?" Tidus asked, bending down on one knee and making a scene of holding her hand like a proper suitor  
- "Yes, I would love to. Are you serious ?" answered Yuna  
- "Never been more serious in my life. Will you marry me ?" Tidus answers, this time not joking. She said yes and they both started kissing each other passionately.

**--- Year 2 AG, the morning after "Perfect Ending"– At Zanarkand, Yuna and Tidus decide to get married**

In the morning Yuna dug up ShinRa's commsphere from under the sand and turned it on.

- "Yuna here. Can we get a ride to Besaid ?" she asked ShinRa  
- "Sure thing! I tried to call you guys before to offer one but the sphere was completely off grid.." said ShinRa puzzled  
- "What, leave it on for Brother to snoop on us ? Never!" Yuna answered smiling  
- "You know Buddy or I would have knocked him down if he even tried to" said ShinRa protesting.  
- "Yes, I know, but I was under strict orders from Rikku. She doesn't trust that brother of hers.." said Yuna  
- "Can't say that I blame her there…" said Buddy laughing  
- "OK. We will be landing shortly by the dome. See ya!" said ShinRa and signed off.

**--- Year 2 AG, the day after "Perfect Ending"– Return to Besaid, Yuna and Tidus get married**

When Yuna and Tidus arrived at Besaid the whole village was waiting for them on the beach, again. This time they talked to everyone and spent the whole morning telling their tales and listening to the news at Besaid, catching up with all that had happened. Yuna half expected a sermon from Lulu or a complaint from Wakka for her and Tidus having disappeared in the day before, but none came. That was because Rikku had beat some sense into Wakka, making him finally realize Yuna had the right to pursue her happiness even if it disappointed some. It was way past time for anyone to be demanding that Yuna lived up to others expectations of how a High Summoner should act. She had earned that right, she had saved Spira twice for crying out loud! Said Rikku fuming.

Lunch was at Lulu's, excellent as always. Tidus and Yuna had missed Lulu's cooking. She had been the best cook on their pilgrimage. She and Auron who, surprisingly for such a grouch, knew how to season almost anything found on their travels to make it taste good, even some bitter Ochu greens or the insipid, flavorless snow fiends of Gagazet. I guess a lifetime on the road taught him how to fend for himself, thought Tidus, missing his mentor and friend.

Yuna and Tidus told everyone about their decision to get married in Besaid, and then live aboard the Celsius hunting spheres for a while longer. Tidus had just had a 2 year long hibernation and was eager to see the sights and places that he had missed for so long. Yuna was also wanting to revisit the places of her pilgrimage and they both wanted to know more about Spira's past. Rikku and Paine were ecstatic. The Gullwings would have a repeat performance ? Yeah!

Wakka and Tidus stood looking amused at the 4 girls, who were talking excitedly, fussing with the engagement and wedding news. Brother watched from the commsphere scared. What was it about girls and weddings ? he moaned to himself. Mention a wedding preparation and women of all ages flip out, start babbling "teal", "burgundy" and other weird color names, while endlessly discussing identical choices and fussing about esoteric details like a "bath set". Bath set ? Brother had one bath towel in his cabin and that doubled as hand towel, washcloth, nose tissue, shoe polisher, carpet, toga… when the 3 girls were on board they had all kinds of towels in different colors and sizes and washed them incessantly! You could wash the entire Celsius with the amount of water the 3 female Gullwings spent on bathing and laundry! Brother decided to turn off the commsphere, to avoid being dragged into the girls discussion. He didn't need to be told how to dress or how to help with the temple arrangements, thought Brother testily.

Yuna and Tidus married the following week, in a small ceremony at Besaid temple, a far cry from her pompous and adventure riddled "almost wedding" to Seymour at Bevelle's highbridge. Jokingly, Lulu had asked if Yuna wanted a dress as fancy as the one she wore at Bevelle, with the same wings so she could jump out of the temple if she changed her mind at the last minute.

Wakka, Rikku, Yuna and Tidus collapsed laughing, remembering Seymour's angry face at Yuna wiping his kiss off and jumping from the highbridge like she could fly. Her jump from the 12 ft. high tower gave quite a scare to Seymour, his troops, his wedding guests and Yuna's guardians. Even Yuna herself wasn't sure she could summon her flying dragon Valefor on time, but she just had to jump. Yuna had decided she would rather die than marry the evil, treacherous Seymour who had just ordered his goons to shoot her friends dead right in front of her. During the ensuing confusion she and her friends escaped and the rest was history…

Yuck! Yuna still shuddered when she thought how close she had been from marrying that madman. Now that she had married for love she could not possibly believe how she had almost accepted marrying for any other reason, particularly so close to giving her own life in a sacrifice for Spira. Her life should have been enough, the cruel Maesters of Bevelle should have never forced her to play yet another role in their twisted games!

Yuna was not sorry to having been the one who brought the Yevon Church's downfall. She had some pity in her heart for Yunalesca, who had meant well when she used the Final Summoning in an attempt to give some hope to a doomed Spira dying at the hands of Sin. She and her husband had committed the ultimate sacrifice to preserve that hope, no wonder Yunalesca still clung to the misguided lies of the Final Summoning for such a long time.

But Yuna and Tidus had refused to aid Yunalesca and Bevelle's Yevon Church perpetuate Spira's Spiral of Death and it's lies. 1,000 years of grief was just too much to commit to a lie, no matter how necessary or beneficial it had seen in the beginning. So they had had to kill Yunalesca's unsent form and Seymour, the ambitious and criminally insane Guado Maester. And watch the rest of the Bevelle church crumble under the weight of their own lies and Seymour's treachery. Yuna had no pity for the Bevelle Maesters and their Yevon Church. Their twisted games and exploitation of the sincere faith of the Spira people had lasted 1,000 years unquestioned. It was way past the time to end it!

**--- Footnotes**

(1) Source: GAMEFAQ - FFX Game Script - Written by Oliver Kong

(2) Source: GAMEFAQ, FFX2 Ending Guide by Aerius


	5. Chapter 5 Beyond FFX2, Tidus returns

FFX3.5

**Summary:**

After Tidus and Yuna get married they go live in the Celsius, they form a new sphere hunter team composed off: Rikku, Paine, Yuna, Tidus, Garik Ronso and Beclem. ShinRa joins Rin to found the "Energy Faction" where members will research ways to use the Farplane energy. The Gullwings II team plays blitzball in place of the Besaid Aurochs who are taking a year off. Later the Gullwings decide to look for Trema, the first leader of New Yevon, who disappeared mysteriously two years ago with a large cache of old spheres from Spira's past.

**--- Year 2 AG, 2 weeks after FFX 2 ending – A new Gullwings II team is formed**

After their wedding Yuna and Tidus retired to the Youth League lodge tent, which had been graciously vacated by the Aurochs for the bride and groom... They awoke late the next morning and after a healthy breakfast Yuna went to gossip and to show Lulu, Paine and Rikku her wedding gifts, while Tidus and Wakka went to the beach to play some blitzball with the Aurochs and some other players from Tidus time at the Blitzball League. That was Wakka's surprise for Tidus, he had invited Zazi Guado, Biggs, Nimrook and Irga Ronso for a blitz game, and the Aurochs had invited Beclem, the Youth League drill sergeant who had just spent months barking at them putting into shape to be Youth League soldiers. To everyone's surprise Beclem was recognized immediately by Nimrook and Biggs.

- "Hey what is Kyou doing here ? I thought he was retired. " asked Biggs to the Aurochs

- "Kyou ? His name is Beclem, he is the Youth League Master Sergeant assigned to protect Besaid" answered Keepa

- "No, no, that is Kyou without a doubt. I caught enough of his shots to recognize his double spin goal shot anywhere." said the goalie Nimrook pointing at Beclem who was practicing the shot that had awed the Aurochs a month ago.

- "Huh ? That is strange… Let's go ask him!" said Keepa

It turned out that Biggs and Nimrook were correct: Beclem was none other than Kyou, a free agent that had played only half of the blitz season two years ago, before having to retire due to serious injuries. A sheepish Beclem told them he had been at Operation Mi'hem when Sin attacked and had his leg broken in 3 places, ending his short blitz career without even completing a full season. Beclem had been embarrassed at such short career and like many others in Spira he had decided to reinvent himself after Sin's demise brought the Eternal Calm. He even had adopted a new name to shed all his past away.

- "But I guess I should get back to being Kyou, the failed blitz player, now that you have revealed my past" Beclem said sadly, resigned to being the butt of all blitzball jokes yet again.

- "Not by my account! In my book anyone has the right to start over, specially you who got injured through no fault of your own" said Tidus

- "The same goes for me! You are still Sergeant Beclem to me" said Wakka

- "Aye!" said the Aurochs and the other blitz players

- "Well, thanks… How about some blitz playing now ?" said Beclem relieved and eager to change the subject

Beclem was surprised at their acceptance of his wish to reinvent himself. He had been resigned to having failed to make friends at Besaid but now he wondered if he did fail. After all, they had invited him for Tidus surprise game, and now had accepted him in spite of his new name and short blitz career. Beclem suddenly realized that the Aurochs had seen through his "tough drill sergeant" ruse and had considered him a friend. He asked Datto about it and Datto told him that they all had respected his tough but fair ways and liked his dedication to keeping their home safe. Why wouldn't they befriend someone who fought so hard to protect their beloved island ? asked Datto.

With 7 Aurochs on hand Wakka had to join the newcomers so that Tidus could take his old place at the Aurochs for a 6-6 game in the crystal clear waters of Besaid's bay. Yuna, Lulu, Vidina and the girls were sitting on the top of the hill having a picnic and cheering for their friends. Tidus was a bit out of shape after his 2 year long hibernation so he had trouble making his Jecht shot on the first half and the score stayed tied zero-zero. In the second half Tidus managed to score 2 goals with it, after being goaded into trying again by Kyou / Beclem's one-zero score on the Aurochs with his highly athletic double spin goal shot that resembled Tidus infamous Jecht shot. The game ended two-one for the Aurochs and Tidus.

After the game and a hearty supper Tidus and Yuna left on the Celsius. Buddy dropped the couple at Macalania where Yuna and Tidus wanted to start their honeymoon.

**--- Year 2 AG, 1 month after FFX 2 – At the Celsius, 2 new openings on the Gullwings team appear**

When Yuna and Tidus came back from their honeymoon Yuna mentioned to the girls that Kimahri had just asked her and Tidus if they could take Garik, the hot headed young Ronso under their wing. Kimahri felt an adventure filled trip around Spira would be the perfect answer to cure Garik's heartache and loss at the fact that so few Ronso remained. The girls agreed to it immediately as they were very fond of Kimahri and liked the young Ronso too. By joining the Gullwings Garik would see and learn about other people in Spira and that would take his mind off the past. And after defeating him in battle to stop him from starting a war against the Guado the girls knew the large, bulky Ronso was a fierce warrior and an excellent addition to the Gullwings.

- "Perfect idea Yuna! It will be great to have a Ronso on our team again, they are so strong and calm!" said Rikku

- "Yep, that is what I thought when Kimahri suggested we take him on the Celsius" said Yuna

- "Ohh! That gives me a great idea! Why don't we add two more members to our team and make it the same we had on your pilgrimage Yunie ?" asked Rikku

Yuna and Tidus were very excited at the idea as it reminded them of Yuna's pilgrimage team: 7 members – Sir Auron, Yuna and Tidus, Lulu and Wakka, Rikku and Kimahri Ronso. But who to invite ? Rikku wanted to invite Gippal and Baralai but they were both busy with their own teams: the Al Bhed Machina faction and the New Yevon league. The same was true for Paine's favorite: Nooj the leader of the Youth League was pretty tied up too. The girls had just seen how confused the groups had gotten without their leaders and were not eager to see it again. Wakka and Lulu could not travel and battle with a newborn. Donna and Bartello had disappeared after their very public reunion at Kilika. Who else was good at battles and was available ?

- "I think we should stick to a team of 6, since it will be hard enough to find one additional member. Besides, we will never find a good enough substitute for Sir Auron." said Yuna

- "You have a point there. All that agree with a team of 6 say aye." said Paine and was answered by a chorus of "aye" from all present.

- "One more it is then. But who ?" asked Paine

- "How about Isaaru ? He is pretty good in battle, he almost made it into High Summoner. " asked Tidus, remembering their battles with the High Summoner candidate.

- "Nah.. He and his brothers are pretty busy protecting Bevelle." said Rikku

- "Can't his brothers stay at Bevelle under this new guy Baralai ?" asked Tidus

- "That would be bad. Isaaru was pretty lost after he found out there was no more Sin and he had a big fight with his brothers right after it. They reconciled just recently. I would hate to be the one to separate them" said Yuna

- "Oh riiight! You told me about his and Cid's misguided attempts to pay homage to Zanarkand by making it a tourist trap. I had forgotten that! Rikku, your dad is a number!" said Tidus laughing

- "Tell me about it! Just before you came back he wanted to force me Yuna and Paine to sit quietly at home having babies and waiting hand and foot for their husbands like the ladies did 200 years ago!" said Rikku with a face

- "What's so wrong about waiting hand and foot for a husb.." said Tidus teasing and got a mock slap from Yuna on his arm before hoe finished

- "Ouch! Hey! That is not how a proper lady treats her husband, Yuna! Do I have to call Cid here to give you a pep talk ?" asked Tidus laughing

- "Do that and I'll find Auron on the Farplane and make him give you one of his sermons" answered Yuna

- "Oh well, let's keep on thinking on our way to Mushroom Rock" said Tidus retreating

**--- Year 2 AG, 1 month after FFX 2 – Youth League asks a favor **

The Celsius landed on the bottom of Mushroom Rock the trail, where a quiet and sulky Sergeant Beclem waited and took them to their meeting with Meivn Nooj, the Youth League leader.

- "Thank you for coming. I called you here to discuss sphere hunting" Nooj said

- "As you are well aware, sphere hunting and the clues the old spheres give about Spira's hidden past have always been a concern of mine and of the League" he continued

- "Now that old spheres found by sphere hunters have warned us about Vegnagun and have helped us pinpoint it's location and the identity of it's pilot this concern has grown even more pressing."

- " I am sure that you agree with me that finding old spheres is vital to Spira's safety. After Sin / Yevon and Vegnagun, who knows what dangers lurk in Spira's past, ready to strike us when we least expect unleashed by greedy or misguided Spirans ?" said Nooj passionately

- "We agree. But what do you need from us ?" asked Rikku

- "Since you have found the most important spheres in the past it is in the League's interest to aid you as you are bound to find others. You are the best sphere hunting team in Spira" said Nooj ignoring her

- "Skip the flattery and cut to the chase, Nooj" said Paine impatiently

- "I know I can't convince you to join my League but perhaps I can make you see the wisdom of having someone from my team join yours " said Nooj going directly to the point as directed

- "What ? " said Yuna, Rikku and Paine surprised.

- "I have heard that you are adding a new team member. I was hoping you would agree to adding a second one . One of my elite officers, who could help you not hinder you in any way" said Nooj

- "And after helping us this elite officer would contact you and tell all we have been up to, right ?" said Rikku suspicious

- "So ? Will he / she tell me something you wouldn't tell me yourself ? Surely after our joint battle with Vegnagun you know and trust my dedication to protecting Spira" said Nooj calmly.

- "Hmmm… Maybe. But we have to discuss this among ourselves. Who did you have in mind ?" asked Paine.

- "Any of my senior officers has my unconditional trust. You can chose any of them: Yaibal, Beclem, Lucille, Elma, Maroda… Even I would join you if you wished so" answered Nooj looking at Paine intensely

- "No, not you, we have had enough tension in Spira with a leaderless Youth League to last us 5 decades, thank you" said Paine firmly

- "They have been conditioned by Yevon's teachings to follow, never lead... That is a problem I am trying to fix but it will take some time before I, Gippal and Baralai can leave in long missions." said Nooj unhappily. Being tied to the HQ drowning in a mountain of bureaucratic work was not his idea of fun.

- "Very well then. We will think about it and give you an answer soon" said Yuna and the girls took their leave.

**--- Year 2 AG, 1 month after FFX 2 – Remembering Operation Mi'hem**, **Sir Jecht's unknown heroism**

On his way down the hill Beclem meditated on the people from Besaid and their famous High Summoner he had just escorted. The crusty drill sergeant had been pain in the neck to Wakka and Yuna until very recently. After Bevelle's treachery was revealed Beclem, like many, had been angry at the church of Yevon and summoners in general. But Beclem hated Yuna in particular because he had seen her laughing happily in front of all the carnage of the aftermath of Operation Mi'hem. The memory of her actions in that day infuriated him every time he remembered it. But last week he had learned something that changed his mind about Yuna.

- "It seems High Summoner Yuna chooses when and who she saves. She saved none at Mi'hem" Beclem had said angrily to Commander Lucille

- "Huh ? What are you talking about ? She saved hundreds that day!" said Lucille who had been there.

- "When ? Where ? At the beach none were saved!" said Beclem

- "That was because she could not have stopped Sin at that time. No one could! Not without the final Aeon or the Airship cannons that got fixed only much later" answered Lucille

- "And she did save many who were on the Operation HQ at the top of Mushroom Rock, including myself!" continued Lucille

- "She may have saved some in the headquarters, but her behaviour was still shameful that day. I saw the High Summoner giggling like a schoolgirl while walking among the corpses of my squad!" Beclem answered darkly.

- "She did that under orders from the Maester" said Lucille

- "Huh ? How is that ?" asked Beclem puzzled

Commander Lucille proceeded to tell Beclem that she had personally witnessed Yuna and her team battling a large Sin Spawn monster, saving countless lives on top of Mushroom Rock and she had also seen how Yuna had being ordered to smile by Seymour, to avoid letting despair settle in on the survivors. A High Summoner had to always smile and look confident Lucille had heard Seymour tell Yuna and Lucille told it to Beclem. He was astonished. After Lucille's and Nooj's revelations Beclem was thankful that even before learning the truth he had relented a bit and toned down his insults, after seeing how Yuna, Wakka and her friends saved the Besaid temple from a Dark Aeon. Today a sheepish Beclem quietly took the High Summoner and her team directly to the observation deck to talk to Meivn Nooj, without uttering the stinging remarks he had been known to say to the Gullwings.

What Commander Lucille didn't know, as no one in Spira knew but the members of Yuna's escort during her pilgrimage, was that the key to their victory over Sin had been Jecht not Cid's airship. It was Jecht who had held the beast's fierce attacks until Yuna, Tidus and their team got inside Sin's tough outer shell, out of range from Sin's extremely powerful, city destroying cannons. No one in Spira could survive those, not even High Summoners. Summoners had barely time to summon the Final Aeon to pierce Sin's armor, before being vaporized by them. If it wasn't for the fact that Jecht had been inside Sin with a certain amount of control over the beast Yuna would have shared the fate of all the High Summoners for the past 1,000 years. No one but Yuna's team knew the place that Sir Jecht, Lord Braska's heroic famous guardian and Tidus father had been after Braska defeated Sin, and no one but her and her team learned of Jecht's much more heroic crucial role in defeating Sin forever.

**--- Year 2 AG, 1 month after FFX 2 – Gullwings open trials to chose a new member**

Back at the ship they discussed Nooj's request. The girls told Tidus that they did trust Nooj, and also Gippal and Baralai but they disliked the idea of taking in people every time one of them asked. Kimahri's request had been different. He had been Yuna's friend for years, Kimahri had practically raised her since she was 7. They just couldn't refuse a request from the Ronso leader. But what about Nooj's request ?

- "Well we were thinking of adding one more member to the Gullwings anyway. But it can't be Maroda, he is Isaaru's brother, we don't want to take him away from Isaaru's team at Bevelle" said Yuna

- "Lucille or Elma would be great but that would bring even more girls here" said Rikku thinking out loud

- "Who cares! Does any of them play blitzball ? Brother, Buddy and I were thinking of making a Gullwings team to compete on the league now that Garik is joining us, but we are short on one player" said Tidus

- "One of the candidates does, he is the masked bloke you met at Wakka's surprise game, the one the Aurochs invited" said Rikku with a grimace

- "Cool! Kyou.. Err.. Beclem, right ? He has a killer goal shot and he plays very well" said Tidus happily already thinking on having a killer Gullwings team for the next blitzball season

- "Yeah, but he has been kind of a jerk to Wakka and Yuna until recently" said Rikku pouting

- "Well he changed, didn't he ?" said Yuna always the forgiving High Summoner

- "But how good is he in battle ? We have recently battled Yaibal, Lucille and Elma on their League Tournament and I have to say Yaibal would need to level up a lot to keep up with us or Garik" said Paine, remembering their battle with the young Youth League Sergeant.

- "We could do some trials but from what you girls said there is just one candidate from Nooj that would work: Beclem" said Tidus, leaning towards the blitz ace.

- "If you are worried about Gippal and Baralai wanting to force their people on our team, we might as well get it all out in the open now. Why don't you ask them to send some candidates for a trial ?" piped in ShinRa

- "Great idea! Not bad for just a kid. All in favor say aye" Said Rikku excited and was answered by a chorus of "aye's".

Baralai declined their invitation saying he needed all his men to help defend Bevelle from the many fiends pouring out of the Via Infinito cloister. He also asked Maroda to be excluded, to which Yuna agreed immediately. Nooj's candidates would be 4: Yaibal, Lucille, Elma and Beclem. Gippal also sent 4 candidates: 3 men and Nhadala, the tough no nonsense Bikanel desert camp leader.

**--- Year 2 AG, 2 months after FFX 2 – Gullwings Team Opening Trials**

The Gullwings decided to do the trials at the hidden dungeon on the Calm Lands, away from prying eyes and a place where neither the Youth Leaguers nor the Al Bhed had the home field advantage. The dungeon was infested with tough fiends, including the fearsome and deadly Ultima weapon fiends so the Gullwings followed the candidates closely, allegedly to monitor their performance but in truth to keep the weaker candidates out of trouble. The youngest Al Bhed, Hurk was the first one to fall, followed by a hapless Elma who had the bad luck of facing 3 Ultima fiends in a row.

- "You can rest and try again, if you want. Three Ultimas would be too much for anyone" whispered Yuna to Elma

- "Oh that's OK Lady Yuna. It would be an honor to join your team but to tell you the truth I get awfully sick on airships. Nothing like riding a Chocobo with the wind in my face for me! " whispered Elma back making Yuna laugh at her mock sick face.

A heartbroken Yaibal was the next to fall, followed by Ringar, the second Al Bhed youngster. Lucille, Nhadala, Beclem and Nybi, a 19 year old Al Bhed whiz kid where the only ones able to clear the tough dungeon and moved on to the next step: The following day the 4 would battle the 3 female Gullwings and Tidus as a team, to see if they worked as well on a team as they did alone. To Tidus disappointment neither Nhadala nor Lucille played blitz and Nybi was a goalie just like Garik Ronso so he wouldn't help the Gullwings Team. Tidus decided to root for Kyou / Beclem. While the 3 girls consoled Yaibal, he went to talk to Beclem to find out why he had been so rude to Yuna and Wakka until recently.

- "Hey Sarge ? Getting ready to face us tomorrow ?" asked Tidus

- "Yes Sir" answered Beclem politely

- "Heh, call me Tidus. Everyone does. None of this Lord or Sir thing to me!" Tidus answered

- "Yes.. Tidus. You can call me Beclem too if you wish to" said Beclem

- "Now that we are on a first name basis can I ask why you pestered my friend Wakka and my Yuna so much ?" asked Tidus

- "Sir.. err.. Tidus.. " said Beclem embarrassed looking down

- "Relax man. Wakka and Yuna seem to have forgiven you so I will too. I just want to know why, that's all!" said Tidus

Beclem told Tidus about his experience at Mi'hem and about how he had learned only recently about the reasons Yuna had acted so oddly then. About Wakka, Beclem told Tidus that he "had been a Crusader, he hoped that, with Sin gone, life would change radically"(4) Indeed, with Sin gone Beclem had cast his past and his birth name aside and reinvented himself. He had been sorely disappointed at the famous guardian, who his friend Chappu had said so much about and who had helped bring the temples down. Beclem had expected Wakka to be the champion of helping Spira cast it's past submission to Yevon's church aside. Hence Beclem's altercation with Wakka on whether to burn the Besaid Temple or not were, in Beclem's view, justified: Not only he had no respect for old temples but also he was responsible for the safety of the village. "Finding out that Wakka didn't share his ideals was a tough blow" (4). Beclem also told Tidus that the sight of Wakka, a father to be, risking his neck for mere statues had made him blind with anger: Having been an orphan who had a hard life growing up in the Bevelle orphanage he could not stand the thought anyone, including Wakkas's baby, going through similar sad experiences thanks to what, in Beclem's view, amounted to silly antics to save a pile of rubble. Later he had been forced to admit that there was no need to burn the temple, when Yuna and her team easily cleaned it of all the fiends.

- "Well, I also got to admit that even I got mad at Yuna's giggling at Mi'hem. I was mad until Kimahri explained to me she was doing it under Seymour's orders" said Tidus with a grimace at the memory of the evil Maester

- "It seems I misjudged the High Summoner's motives and for that I am very sorry" said Beclem gravely

- "Yes and your blaming of Wakka for not living up to YOUR idea of him wasn't very fair also. Wakka is a terrific guy if you appreciate him for what he is, not for what he is not!" said Tidus hotly remembering how much Lulu had got in friend's case for the same reason two years ago.

- "I grant you that I may not have been fair to Wakka. But I will have to take your word for his qualities as it seems I will have little opportunity to meet him in the future. My assignment in Besaid has ended." said Beclem resigned

- "Heh ? Why do you think you are competing here today and I'm asking all this questions ? You will see a lot more of Wakka and Yuna if you join our team" Tidus answered

- "I am here under orders but I had assumed I had no chance as I was already disqualified based on my past behavior" said Beclem embarrassed.

- "Not true. Every one of the four finalists has an equal chance. Besides, Wakka and Yuna have forgiven you already and will do it even more after I tell them what you told me." Said Tidus

- "I thank you for your fairness Sir… errr.. guardian" said Beclem

- "No thanks needed. Go rest now and prepare for a thorough butt kicking tomorrow as we are fair but we will not hold back either. Ha Ha! You guys are dead meat!" said Tidus laughing defiantly

The trial battle took place in the morning, with Yuna, Tidus, Rikku and Paine winning as Tidus had predicted, but not as easily as he expected. Nhadala was extremely though to conquer with her high HP and excellent shielding, plus she healed her team non stop with her Alchemist stash. But Alchemist "Stash" spells were slow to cast so Tidus and Rikku with their auto Haste could hit twice in the time it took Nhadala to heal her party once. To the girls and Tidus surprise Beclem also had the Auto Haste skill and had some powerful blitzball attacks, while Lucille could cast some fierce black mage spells and Nybi had a powerful gunner suit and used "Trigger Happy" non stop on Yuna and Paine, trying to get them down with it's chained attacks. Luckily the young Al Bhed had no magic catnip or he would have succeeded in taking Yuna and Paine out of the battle. But without catnip even his chained attacks and Beclem's fast counter attacks were no match for Yuna's White Mage healing and Paine's Dark Knight shielding. The 4 candidates fought surprisingly well but lost the battle after Paine used a few Darkness spells and a Black Sky as the coup de grace. After Elma's refusal Paine wanted the remaining candidates to know why the Gullwings were considered the best battle team in Spira and why it was an honor to have the opportunity to join them.

- "Drunuikmo pidd gelgat po 3 kenmc! Fryd femm Gippal drehg ?" said Nybi in Al Bhed after the battle, worried at Gippal's reaction at his defeat at the hands of "3 girls"

- "Ra lyh'd cyo y drehk yc fa "kenmc" ryja zicd gelgat rec ufh puudea mycd suhdr!" answered Rikku telling Nybi of their victory over Gippal himself at the Den of Woe just a month ago.

- "Ouch! That "Meteor" spell you cast on us was something!" said Lucille, still sore at her cuts and burns from the flaming rocks which pelted her after Paine's "Black Sky" spell

- "Here, let me heal you" said Yuna worried, always the healer who hated to see someone in pain

- "Never mind. I'm better already. I should have expected it after the trouncing you girls gave me last month at the Youth League tournament" said Lucille grimacing

- "Yeah, I was crazy to think we could win after witnessing you 3 battle an Angra Mainyu and win last month!" said Nhadala frustrated

- "What about you Beclem ? You don't seem to be complaining much about your wounds and defeat" asked Paine curious

- "Win some, lose some. That's life... You guys fought better this time but as long as I'm still here I will get you Gullwings eventually" the drill sergeant said smiling while he dressed his wounds.

The girls thought that it was odd how the usually moody Beclem seemed to be the only one who was taking the defeat in stride so they asked Commander Lucille about it. Lucille told them that Beclem was the most cool headed and skilled warrior in the League but his relaxed behavior on the battle field, which the girls had just witnessed, didn't accompany him when away from the gym. His sulky attitude had kept him a Master Sergeant both in the Youth League and the Crusaders while many others got promoted ahead of him, in spite of his bravery at many real battles and his excellence at tournaments.

- "Well, I for one like his upbeat attitude. Thinking you can do something is half the battle to succeed at it" said Tidus who was also someone who tried to never let a defeat or low odds put him down

- "But his insulting of Yuna and Wakka gets on my nerves" said Paine

- "Oh that ? I talked with the guy yesterday. It seems that somehow he got convinced that Yuna was laughing at his dead comrades at Mi'hem" said Tidus

- "But I told him I was there and saw Seymour order Yuna to smile on that day. You should have had no more trouble from him!" said Lucille puzzled

- "We didn't, not after you set him straight 2 weeks ago" said Tidus

- "Seymour ordered Yuna to smile in front of all that carnage ? How awful!" said Paine

- "Oh yeah! High Summoners and their guardians were supposed to be always upbeat and to never let on how dire and hopeless the situation felt. They were supposed to be Spira's "hope" and smile in spite of all they faced and watched. Didn't you know that ?" asked Tidus

- "I didn't. I guess it worked very well then. I never realized that Summoners might have doubts and fears like the rest of us. I guess that was naive and foolish of me" said Paine

- "Well, you were not the only one to have superhuman expectations for Summoners, I can tell you that! Even today some folks think they can demand whatever they want of Yuna, after all she has done for Spira!" said Rikku angrily. People's habit of abusing Yuna's goodwill was her pet peeve.

At lunch the Celsius crew and the team started discussing the finalists. Nhadala was pretty good, but Rikku was an even stronger Alchemist than her, plus all 3 of the girls were also skilled in Al Bhed weapons and gunner / Trigger Happy battle techniques so both Nhadala and Nybi would be redundant in their team. Lucille's black mage skills were also outmatched by Paine and Yuna. That left Beclem's blitzball attacks, attacks which reminded them of Wakka's fighting style, a skill set that was very handy against flying monsters and that they didn't have yet on the Gullwings.

- "He is a good compliment to our team styles, he plays good blitzball and I like his self confidence. Why not chose him ?" asked Tidus

- "I vote yes. Perhaps we can help him shed the demons of his past just as we are going to try to help Garik" said Yuna who agreed with Tidus and also pitied the drill sergeant

- "I guess… My favorite is Nhadala but you two have a point, she may be redundant with Rikku on our team" said Paine

- "Nah.. Nhadala is to old! Why not Lucille, she is so hot with that red hair of hers.." said Brother wistfully

- "Shut up pervert! We are choosing a warrior not eye candy for you." Said Rikku hitting him with her bread roll

- "Heh ? Oh alright, I vote for the blitz ace then. Beclem and Tidus will be sweet in the attack of our Gullwings team!" said Brother nabbing Rikku's bread and eating it.

- "You stole my bread you big meanie!" said Rikku outraged

- "Barkeep, can you get more bread for my whiny little sister before she cries ?" said Brother laughing at Rikku and yelped as Rikku threw the salt shaker at him

- "Manners kids! We still have to decide. Who do you vote for Rikku ?" asked Paine

- "Hmm.. Not Lucille or Nhadala otherwise I will have too much trouble keeping this brother of mine in line. Nybi or Beclem then" said Rikku

- "Nybi is a bit too wet behind the ears for my taste. And he is also a dupe of your gunner skills. You girls outclass him seriously at Trigger Happy. Besides, isn't the blitzball guy also a master at gun combat ? He was the one who kept the Gunner's Gauntlet high score record at Besaid, wasn't him ?" asked Buddy

- "Yeah, until we wiped the floor with his record" said Rikku smugly

- "But Wakka told me he didn't rest until he beat our record. He holds the high score now" said Yuna

- "He does ? Interesting. I like having people who never give up in my team. I guess I can live with his cocky attitude if he leaves Yuna in peace. I vote Beclem too." said Paine

- "Well, until Rikku decides between him or Nybi it seems we have 4 and a half votes for the blitz guy. It seems to me he wins in spite of Rikku's doubts" said Tidus teasing Rikku

The Gullwings finished their lunch and went to the Celsius Deck tell the news to the finalists. Nybi was as expected very disappointed but to their surprise Lucille and Nhadala were not sad but relieved at the news that they were not chosen. Lucille and Nhadala confessed to Yuna that they had been very busy at a job they loved and had agreed to the trials because of their respect for the Gullwings and for the honor it was to be invited. But both women were very ambivalent at the prospect of leaving their job unfinished, at the Bikanel camp for Nhadala and at the Youth League training task force for Lucille. So their defeat was not sad and devastating as it had been for Yaibal or Nybi.

- "Relax kid. I told you Gippal himself had his butt kicked by me Yunie and Paine. He can't complain about you, you lasted more rounds then he did!" said Rikku from the top of her 17 year old experience calling the 19 year old a "kid".

- "Yes and as a finalist you can always join us in some missions in the future, cant he ?" said Yuna trying to soften the blow for the sad Al Bhed technician

- "Sure! And join us at blitzball practice. I will ask Gippal myself!" said Brother

- "No need Sir, I'll be fine" said a proud, less sad Nybi and asked to be excused to go back to his post at Djose Temple.

- "Sure, see you later Sir Nybi" said Brother and asked Buddy to drop the lad there.

Still at the deck, Beclem was astounded. He had never once been that lucky in his life. He was the one they chose ? How ? He was very happy he had won the honor but he was also very surprised that he got it. He knew he had done good at the trials but he had done good a trials and battles countless times in his life before! And before, in spite of excelling at combat his rewards for it never amounted to much. Always his so called "bad attitude" got in his way. Something always seemed to set his hot temper on fire and he blurted out words that got him on trouble.

After years stuck as sergeant at the crusaders he had tried changing careers to blitzball but in spite of his skill and efforts Sin had ended that career in less than 2 months. Would this new chance last longer ? Immersed in his thoughts Beclem took the ship's lift and joined the Gullwings at the Cabin for a commemorative dinner for the trial participants. Yaibal greeted him at the lift door enthusiastically

- "So you will get to travel in this awesome ship and fight side by side with Lady Yuna? You are a lucky dog !" said Yaibal

- "Huh... It seems this way... I guess all my bad luck all in the past had to be balanced by some exceptionally good luck eventually" said Beclem embarrassed still finding hard to believe on his victory.

- "Heh, just teasing man! You earned it , you fought very good. Luck had nothing to do with it." said Yaibal proud of having a Youth Leaguer, a friend of his, wining the trial

- "Whatever you say Yaibal"said Beclem still a bit dazed

- "Would you get a hold of yourself ? You have always been the best fighter on the league man. It's about time you got some recognition!" said Yaibal

- "Yes, but how long will this recognition last ? I know I'm bound to say something wrong sooner or later... I always do, don't I ?" said Beclem smiling sadly

- "Well, you can change, can't you ? I recommend keep your bad opinion of Lady Yuna to yourself, for starters..." said Yaibal

- "Oh, that ? That was a mistake. Commander Lucille told me how Maester Seymour Guado was to blame for what I saw at Mi'hem. I was very surprised that they still considered me for the team after all I said to Lady Yuna and Sir Wakka but Sir Tidus said that both of them forgave me" said Beclem

- "Yes we did. Water under the bridge. And so is this Sir and Lady business. Call me Yuna. You too Yaibal" answered Yuna appearing behind them coming out of the lift.

- "Lady.. Er.. Yuna, it has been an honor to try out for your team" said Yaibal happy that his cherished High Summoner was letting him call her by her first name.

They joined the other guests in the Cabin where barkeep and his "fianshee" had whipped up a feast and had a very fun dinner, where Yuna, Paine and Rikku treated them all by telling the details of their battle with Vegnagun, Shuyin and the Nooj and Gippal shadows that the girls had fought in the Den of Woe.

**--- Year 2 AG, 3 months after FFX 2 – At the Celsius, 3 new additions to the Gullwings**, **a new Blitzball team appears in Spira**

After Garik and Beclem put their affairs in order and packed they joined Yuna, Tidus, Rikku and Paine at the Celsius for a training excursion in the hidden dungeons of Spira: At Bikanel, at Mi'hem, at the Calm lands and at Bevelle's Via Infinito first 40 floors. While they were busy at the dungeons ShinRa constructed a challenging Tower to help the Gullwings team hone their battle skills. He called it hi "Last Mission" with the Gullwings since ShinRa now wished to dedicate himself to the research of Spira's energy source found in the Farplane. To do that ShinRa joined Rin to lead a newly founded "Energy Faction" where members would research ways to use the limitless Farplane energy to power machina that could benefit Spira and make it's citizens life easier and more comfortable. The people in Spira deserved it, after a millennia of back breaking manual work and carnage they had just endured at the hands of Sin and the Yevon church.

When the team got back they went to rest and relax in Besaid and got surprised by ShinRa's new Tower of Trials. After a week of loafing around on the gorgeous Besaid Beach everyone on the new Gullwings team was excited to try the challenges there. They decide to enter themselves as "Gullwings II battle Team" in ShinRa's challenges and the name stuck. The 6 person team would be known as Gullwings II from then on.

Brother and Tidus sign up the Gullwings for the blitzball tournaments and the Spira League. The team starts training in the crystal clear waters of Besaid. Pretty soon the team's skills are well known: Both Tidus and Beclem are very strong on tackles, fast swimmers and excellent scorers. Paine is also very fast and a good scorer but she is weaker on tackles. Brother, Garik and Buddy are impenetrable walls on defense and Brother can score, but not as good as Tidus and Beclem. Rikku and Yuna are weaker at tackles but can swim reasonably fast and are very good at receiving or issuing passes. Garik is the only good goalie of the lot. They decide to challenge the Aurochs for a match.

Tidus decides to start with caution on a 2 - 3 - 3 formation: Tidus and Beclem on the attack, Buddy, Paine, and Brother in mid field and Rikku and Yuna on defense, with Garik Ronso on the goal. This way they have a strong attack but a good defense also, with Paine, Rikku and Yuna being reinforced by two very strong defenders, while their goal is kept safe by Garik.

The Besaid Aurochs had been lagging on their training and the Gullwings victory is swift: 4 to zero with 3 goals from Tidus and one from Paine. After that sad performance Wakka asks the Aurochs if they want to retire or at least to take a break from the blitz league and gets met by an enthusiastic "yes" from all Aurochs. After 4 years of leading the league they are all exhausted and want some free time to enjoy the Eternal Calm. Wakka looks for Tidus and Yuna at their practice in the beach

- "Hey Tidus, Yuna ? I have a favor to ask.." says a sheepish Wakka to the couple

- "You want me to play on your team again Wakka ?" said Tidus remembering his first meeting with the Aurochs Captain

- "Huh.. It's a little more complicated than that. It seems Besaid has no team in the moment.." said Wakka

- "No team for Besaid ! That can't be Wakka!" said Yuna shocked

- " Well, the Aurochs have been training hard and playing well for the last 4 years without taking any time off to enjoy the Eternal Calm. They have asked for a year off and I don't think I can say no to them" said Wakka

- "You are right, you can't! Enough of exploiting your friends good nature, let them rest. Don't repeat with the Aurochs the mistake you did with Yunie" said Rikku pouting

- "Well yes, that is why I have to give them the time off, Rikku. I said that I can't say no, didn't I ?" answered Wakka annoyed

- "Hmph! It took you long enough to see "the light"! I'm glad you finally understand why saddling Yuna with all those silly meetings was wrong." answered Rikku a bit mollified

- "Yes I was wrong, can we move on now ?... Anyhow, we were wondering if you guys would represent Besaid in the next season" continued Wakka

- "Sure Wakka! We will talk to the team and give you an answer soon, but I doubt they will refuse" answered Yuna

The rest of the Gullwings agreed to compete in Besaid's name and decided to call their team the "Besaid Gullwings" team. They would be Besaid's entry in the upcoming season. Tidus, who had not played in a tournament for the past 2 years and Rikku and Yuna who had never played in a tournament before could hardly wait!

**--- Year 2 AG, 5 months after FFX 2 -- Blitzball Season !**

Beclem made his way to barkeep's where the rest of the Gullwings were having lunch, animatedly discussing their imminent blitz Tournament. Playing blitz again would be a delight, thought Beclem as he joined them.

In Luca Tidus, who was the "Besaid Gullwings" captain, decided to keep his 2-3-2 formation that had worked so well in their practices. Their first opponent was the Guado Glories team. As Tidus predicted Buddy and Brother were exhausted after their first match against the Guado, with him and Beclem only slightly less tired. Paine had good endurance, a good shot and was a fast swimmer but Buddy and Brother had been forced to work double protecting her from tackles as the girl was weak against them. Tidus scored at the last minute and the Gullwings moved to the next phase. Tidus was thankful the Al Bheds had eliminated the Ronso from the tournament, as the huge lions were fearsome in a tackle. The Ronso would have made mincemeat of the girls in the Gullwings team. Even him and the other men were no match for the huge Ronso in a tackle. But strength alone did not a blitzball champ made, the Ronso were not as fast and agile as the rest of the teams and had been without a title for 9 years in a row.

The Al Bhed team used their dizzying speed and excellent control of the ball to win matches but the Gullwings team also had 5 fast and agile players so their match was more balanced than what the Al Bhed were used to. The Al Bhed's surprise at the skill and speed of the new team was their downfall and the Gullwings team won by 3-0 with 2 goals from Beclem and a Jecht shot goal from Tidus.

Their luck continued on the finals, the Besaid Gullwings simply creamed the Luca team with a 4-0 win after 2 Jecht shots from Tidus got he Luca Goers so dizzy that their excellent defense broke up and Paine and Beclem scored 2 more goals easily. Tidus enjoyed the victory even more because of the sour face the Goers men had on them. The Goers girls had always been nice to Tidus, Wakka and the Aurochs but the conceited Luca Goers male players had been taunting and tormenting Wakka (and later Tidus) for years. Garik also thoroughly enjoyed teaching the Guado a lesson. Payback felt great, even if it was just on the blitzball arena!

Back at Besaid the Gullwings found out that the islanders had made a campfire party to commemorate yet another victory of Besaid. Tidus and Yuna left the party to walk alone under the stars reminiscing their times on the pilgrimage, while the rest joined Lulu, Wakka and the Aurochs to discuss the match.

- "Good show ? You guys rocked!" said Wakka and the Aurochs

- "Well we could have blocked the Goers a little better, perhaps even scored a 7-0 game if that miracle goalie Nimrook of theirs.." started Beclem modestly

- "The guy is amazing, isn't him ? They all are! Me and the boys had to sweat blood to get a win against those guys. At least before Tidus decided to use his Jecht shot.. Then it got easy" said Wakka

- "Well obviously that "kill 2 attackers and shove the goalie with ball and everything into the net" shot of his would win a game. One or two of those and the game is over." said Beclem.

- "Ouch! And how!" said Buddy and Brother, who had played against Tidus, Wakka and the Aurochs 2 and half years ago. Being on the receiving end of a Jecht shot smarted!

- "Wasn't Tidus in the team at Master Mika's commemorative tournament ? I know you guys got 1st place but I don't recall seeing that amazing shot until later in the season" asked Beclem puzzled

- "That's what I told you man. We had to sweat blood to win that final. Tidus was holding out on us to give some sphere time to yours truly" said Wakka, remembering how Tidus had kept the match tied until the end then had left the field pushing Wakka into his place, giving Wakka the opportunity to score the winning shot and the limelight for that first Tournament victory of the Aurochs long ago

- "He did that ?" said a surprised Beclem

- "Said it was my "moment" and that he didn't want to spoil it. The guy is amazing!" said Wakka

- "Tidus plays and fights like a warrior but is affable and easy going like a Ronso cub" said Garik grunting in appreciation

- "Yeah, and he and Yunie together are also cute like two Ronso cubs, aren't they ?" said Rikku sighing wistfully.

- "Down girl, cut the mushy romantic talk..." said Paine

- "Aww.. Romance is the best part!" said Rikku

- "No it is not, it is sappy and bo-ring!" said Paine making a face

- "It is enjoyable sometimes to talk about romance" said Lulu, a far cry from her old moody self now that she was married and had baby Vidina

- "Garik agrees with Paine. True warrior not talk like that" grunted Garik

- "Hey Wakka, Beclem, help me out here!" pleaded Rikku

- "I am not getting into THAT!" said Wakka laughing

Beclem also kept his mouth shut, still afraid of getting himself into trouble as he always seemed to do. Switching the subject, Wakka and the others then told Beclem, Garik and Paine how much they had missed their friend Tidus those two long years he had been away. The young man had been such a good friend during the pilgrimage and the blitz season! He played like a blitz star and had the looks of a blitz star but none of the arrogance one would expect from such a talented athlete. As a matter of fact, Tidus had been very down to earth and surprisingly sweet and loyal. As peppy as Rikku, but with much funnier jokes and amazing tales from Zanarkand, Tidus had never put on airs about himself, despite having immediately achieved stardom on the blitz league.

Tidus had also taken his kidnaping by Sin and the loss of his hometown in stride. Most people would have freaked out if they suddenly discovered themselves thrown 1,000 years in the future but not Tidus. In spite of all that happened to him, Tidus was able to play blitzball, to help on Yuna's pilgrimage, to battle Sin.. And how he and Yuna got along well with each other! Yuna's friends had been delighted at how happy the boy made their beloved Lady Yuna during her pilgrimage, and how fiercely protective he was of her. Good thing he had come back or Yuna would be sporting that haunting look her friends tried so hard to keep out of her face daily with their antics for two long years.. She had tried to fool her friends into thinking that she had moved past it but her longing sad looks to the places where they had been together betrayed her. Now that she and Tidus were together again, the shining glint of happiness in Yuna's eyes was a sight to behold.

**--- Year 2 AG, 7 months after FFX 2 -- Gullwings II hunts for clues to Spira's past.**

Meivn Nooj calls the Gullwings for a meeting tells the Gullwings II team that he is rather curious about the infamous cache of old spheres that New Yevon's founder Trema is supposed to have. But no one knows where Trema is. Nooj tells the Gullwings team that while hunting for clues on older spheres whereabouts Maroda and Isaaru's brother Pacce had found an intriguing new dungeon in Bevelle: Via Infinito. Rikku, Payne and Yuna laugh and tell Nooj they have already been there twice. They had never bothered to go past it's level 40 though. Suddenly the girls recall getting to it's 20th floor and seeing an unsent copy of Maester Kinoc dropping two Crimson Squad spheres on the floor, right before their battle with Vegnagun. Perhaps the higher floors would have older spheres Nooj speculates and the Gullwings II team decides to go check it out.

The Via Infinito dungeon is extremely hard but after their countless training sessions at ShinRa's tower the Gullwings II team is ready for it and crosses the first 80 floors in little more than 1 month. But then they hit a stop at level 80, where Chac, a very powerful basilisk keeps watch. The fiend is extremely fast and his petrifying eyes can pierce even the strongest anti-petrifying magic and charm items. They spend 3 full days trying to beat the powerful fiend to no avail. That is when the Gullwings decide to try using their new catnip tactics: Beclem and Rikku fight using their fast gunner trigger happy skills with almost 30 hits per turn, while sporting low life points to take advantage of catnip's 9,999 points damage per hit. Yuna stays as in her 15,000 HP heavily shielded Mascot DS while using White Mage healer skills to quickly cure the petrifying spells and the devastating attacks Chac lobs at them. They win the battle without a single team member down.

The team proceeds down to the next levels, battling deadly and devilish fast fiends such as Black Elemental, Elder Drakes, giant Tomberries, etc... Each level now takes almost a week to complete and each level is now an exhausting, difficult battle that drains the team. When the Gullwings finally reach level 95 they decide to take a well deserved break in Besaid, to gather energy to face the next levels...

Next: Meeting with Trema at the 100th floor and a stunning revelation follow on chapter 6 soon

Renmiri

**---- Footnotes**

(1) on sequels and a new Gullwings Team: I chose to make Yuna create a new Gullwings team, one very similar to the FFX team, just to show how a FFX 3 sequel without aliens or pirefly harvesting could be done: Tidus & Yuna, Rikku & Paine (replacing Lulu), Garik Ronso and Beclem replace Kimahri Ronso and Wakka. They form the Gulwings II, a new team of sphere hunters that travel around Spira on the Celsius. A series of stories or a new game could tell their adventures. Alternatively Brother, Buddy, Shuu or other blitz ace could be Wakka's replacement but I added Beclem here because I had written about him on another Fan Fiction

(2) If you like mushy romance go read my "Wedding Bells" story at this Fan Fiction site. It tells of a love affair between Beclem and Rikku during the FFX2 events. (Yeah I know, everyone wants her to date Gippal.. But go read it, it is not that bad ;-)


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